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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22928677">child's play</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/r0wlets/pseuds/r0wlets'>r0wlets</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Tales of Rebirth, Tales of Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen, two dummies raising a kid trope</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:49:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>25,041</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22928677</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/r0wlets/pseuds/r0wlets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Hilda and Tytree have their doubts about raising a child in the future, the great Sacred Beast Shaorune decides to meddle by dropping on their doorstep as a mysterious ten year old...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tytree Crowe/Hilda Rhambling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tales Big Bang 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I've been so excited to write for the Tales of Big Bang 2019-2020. Rebirth has a special place in my heart, so I've been looking for ways to write more for it, ha</p><p>Thank you so much to my artists Oda (odayuku on twit/insta, odasketch on tumblr) and SymphoniaLauren. Their art should be posting soon and it's been such a pleasure working with them over these past few months, so go hit them up too c:</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Chap 01 </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was no need to own a car, especially in an up and coming bustling city such as Petnadjanka. Ever since the Huma-Gajuma wars of fifteen years ago, the country’s citizens leaned on creating a reliable public transportation system in order to strengthen relations between the two groups. It was a meager attempt at thinning out racism, but sometimes one would get a small conversation between a Gajuma elder and a young, aspiring Huma on the bus, and hope for humanity would be salvaged for another day. </span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For Tytree Crowe, fighting racism was over. Well, at least with his bare fists. Ever since the Huma-Gajuma upsets of a couple of years ago, which had very nearly turned into a third world war, Tytree was working on more purely peacekeeping methods. But for now the only thing that mattered to him was the game on his cell phone. Pulling just the right gacha unit was the most important thing for strategizing, and on a twenty minute bus ride to and from work every day, he had plenty of time to figure out what he wanted. </span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The smart people on Reddit would do that for him. He wasn’t really savvy with social media, but he knew enough to browse and see what the top-tier players picked. Usually...they were out of his budget. Top players usually a lot of money. In Tytree's case he would have to improvise. If he budgeted for currency for this long for this event...no, he was bad with math. What if he worked it out like this?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ty~t~ree!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree's ears perked up, and he lifted up his head to see a boy and a girl standing in front of him. His face stretched into a wide smile. "Oh, hey, Mao, Annie!" he greeted. "You out for doctor internship stuff again?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He and the redhead did a fistbump. Mao then did a thumbs up as he gestured to Annie. "Yeeeep. I was just tagging along with Annie, practicing my super awesome bodyguard skills for the cutest girlfriend of mine!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Annie giggled. "You know you don't have to protect me all the time, Mao."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mao winked at her. Tytree shifted himself so that the two teenagers could sit on either side of him. He began to relax when Mao leaned forward, face propped up with his hands, and gave him a secretive grin. "Sooo, how are things with you and Hilda?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Weeeell...they're going."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But </span>
  <em>
    <span>how </span>
  </em>
  <span>are they going?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree's eyes narrowed. "Don't you kids got other relationships to snoop in besides mine? Annie, can you reel him in a bit?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"To be honest I was kind of curious as well, Tytree," Annie murmured, sheepishly looking away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well. They're going. If you come over today she might be home. She's been working a lot lately."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She thinks you're that smelly, huh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mao!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree almost threw his phone to the other side of the bus. Annie placed a supportive hand on his back and rubbed it. They were quiet for the rest of the bus ride, and Tytree tried to place his focus back onto Reddit, but his mind kept wandering to the previous conversation. He and the troubled but beautiful Half, Hilda, had been dating for nearly a year now, but he couldn't really brag that their relationship was anything close to conventional. In fact, it was about as rocky as this bus ride.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The bus hit an extra large bump. Nah, probably even worse. Sometimes it felt like she hated his guts. Tytree knew that'd probably had nothing to with him; Hilda was a private person, and she usually didn't like to open up about her problems. He felt like if he ever asked, though, she would get mad at him…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Soon the bus slowed to their stop, and the three of them got off. Tytree let Mao and Annie walk slightly ahead of him as they went towards the apartment complex where he and Hilda lived. He was dreading their reactions when they arrived. They'd been to the apartment before, but it had been a while. Like probably since he and Hilda first moved in a while. They weren't </span>
  <em>
    <span>dirty</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but they weren't exactly modern homemakers, either. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His old Gajuma neighbor sat outside, smoking a cigarette. He set the mood for the clothes line that hung up high in the sky by their apartment floor. There were no clothes; instead they were still in the basket that was by their feet. Annie gingerly picked up a pair of heart-printed boxer shorts and felt them. They were still wet. “Uh, Tytree? How long have these been out?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree winced. “Not sure. I forgot which one of us was supposed to hang up the laundry. You can put that back for now, though.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You kids are gonna get mold from them clothes!” the neighbor called out. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, Boris! I’ll get to them soon!” Tytree called back. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You should get to them sooner. Your girl’s undergarments are mixed in there.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Turning a bright shade of red, Tytree practically shoved his juniors up the stairs as he ignored his neighbor’s cackling. Unfortunately, this was a common occurrence. If it wasn’t for his sister Selena constantly checking up on him, he was pretty sure he’d be walking around in nothing but those boxers by now. She often came after the damage was done, though; plenty of neighbors had seen much of their wardrobe outside left unattended before she came by.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The inside wasn’t much better. Again, not dirty, just very messy. Mao pointed to a row of beer cans lined up against the windowsill. “You know we’re just a phone call away, bro,” he said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree let out a low, awkward laugh, rubbing a finger below his nose. “You really think I drink that much every day? Nah, those are spread out from last month. Sometimes my back is killing me after work!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What about those?" Annie asked, pointing to a bunch of dried up wine glasses on a coffee table."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Weeeell...we don't do dishes every day."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Continuing his awkward laugh, Tytree gathered the glasses close to his chest and dumped them in the sink, filling the sink halfway with water. Between her paralegal job, tarot commissions, and studies towards becoming a defense attorney, Hilda was pretty busy throughout the day. She often spent more than twelve hours out of the apartment, so Tytree didn’t blame her for cleaning up a bit more, especially when he was also at fault…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Picking up the blankets and pillows, he tossed them onto the top of the couch and patted the cushions. “There ya go. Make yourselves comfy while I start prepping dinner. I hope you have room for sandwiches!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mao took one of the pillows and held it close to his chest. “Sure do! Hey, how long have you been sleeping on the couch, Tytree?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree ignored him, a light pink rising to his cheeks as he ducked back into the kitchen. He didn’t want to admit that he’d been sleeping on the couch ever since they first moved into the apartment. Nowadays the couch felt a part of him. The couch was support to him during so many late-night game show reruns and gacha pulls. Not sleeping in the same bed as his girlfriend wasn’t the end of the world, either.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled out some brisket, bread, and condiments from the fridge and set them all on the counter. Just thinking about the sandwiches already made him feel at ease. Cooking was one of the few tasks that he and Hilda shared and enjoyed together. They also were both fairly competent at cooking. Tytree dealt with the selection and handling of meat and produce, and Hilda dealt with budgeting and seasoning, making sure all of their dishes had a tasteful (but mild) flavor. She was the one that made sure that every time they went grocery shopping, Tytree didn’t buy just meat and instant curry bowls. Selena noted that his health was improving within the past year. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Since Hilda wasn’t home, this dinner would lack seasoning, but at least there would be condiments. Tytree added a generous amount of mustard and cheese to his own sandwich and a smaller amount of pickles and cheese for the others. Satisfied, he took a step back and placed them on the small kitchen table, grinning. “Dinner is served!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mao and Annie walked over, and Annie clapped her hands in delight. “Looks wonderful, Tytree. Mao, will you do us the honor of leading us with the Dinner Song?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can do!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They all sat down. Mao leaned back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head. “Dinner song, dinner song~ Our friends have gathered; it’s been so long~ Since we’ve had a dinner song~”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you for the meal!” they all ended in unison. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were in the middle of eating when the front door swung open. Hilda looked very exhausted as she shut the door behind her. In one hand was a rich, chocolate cake in a plastic container; in the other was Tytree’s wet boxers. Before Tytree could respond, the boxers hit his face. Mao made a thumbs up sign. “Nice hit, Hilda!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda’s eyes widened but quickly regained their composure. “Oh, hello, Mao. Annie. Tytree, the clothes outside are gonna mold if we don’t put them on the clothesline. Help me sometime tonight.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She walked over to the counter and began making a sandwich for herself, adding a salad to her dinner. Mao peeked over Annie’s shoulder, mouth watering at the cake. “Hey, Hilda. Think you could maybe share a piece of that cake with me?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda giggled, placing a hand on his shoulder. With her other hand, she zoomed her fork with a piece of lettuce towards the boy’s mouth. “Only good boys who work hard and eat their veggies get cake. How’s the trade school been, kid?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mao took the bait, chewing thoughtfully. "I've been talking about it with Eugene, and I'm thinking about becoming a mechanic. Help people help their cars. I still wanna do peacekeeping on the side, though. I wanna be as strong as Eugene."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was an acceptable enough answer, and Hilda began slicing the boy a piece of cake. "You've got a long way to go then, kid. Make him proud." Turning to Annie she tilted her head towards the cake. "What about you, Annie? How's the internship been treating you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Annie's eyes brightened. She and Hilda shared a sisterly bond, something Tytree respected. "It's been going well. I've been corresponding often with Misha lately. Mao and I actually visited Minal a couple of months ago, but he was on duty somewhere else at the time. We're planning on meeting sometime soon."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, youth. You two would make a good partnership. Misha knows his stuff, and you have a level head on your shoulders." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you, Hilda."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They continued eating. Tytree sliced himself a piece of cake after he finished his sandwich. As he ate he listened to Mao brag about every move Eugene taught him so far. They were all defense moves, but the ladies seemed impressed. Annie kept cutely imitating him, and Hilda occasionally raised her hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. Normally Tytree would join in, trying to constantly one-up Mao, but tonight he felt content enough to kick back and listen. It'd been a while since they'd gather around like this, and they felt like a family.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A family, huh…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they finished Hilda gathered the plates and set them in the sink. While she began soaking them, Tytree stood up and stretched his arms, turning to the living room. "Well, I might as well start hanging up those clothes outside. Dunno how early you two go to bed, but we don't have a spare room set up, so Annie, you can take the couch, and Mao can take the chair."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What about you, Tytree?" Annie asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Me?" Tytree placed a finger to his nose, clearly embarrassed. "Oh, uh, I'll just take the floor, of course. It's pretty comfy."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, why don't you just sleep together with Hilda- ow!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Annie stepped on Mao's foot. Tytree took this opportunity to step outside.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sun was just beginning to set. Tytree walked over to the basket, but he didn't feel like hanging clothes yet. He felt overwhelmed by a feeling he couldn't quite place, and with these types of unidentifiable feelings, he needed to talk to one of his bros. Fishing out his phone, he thumbed through his contacts. He thought about calling Selena, but his gut feeling urged him not to talk to his actual sister about this. Somehow, it'd make him feel worse. Veigue was a good listener..in person. Talking to him and his constant silence on the phone </span>
  <em>
    <span>always </span>
  </em>
  <span>made Tytree feel worse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He finally decided on his wife instead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claire picked up quickly, her cheery personality bursting through the phone "Hi, Tytree! I'm doing the dishes, so I have you on speakerphone. Veigue says hi."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree could imagine Veigue silently waving from the couch, completely disinterested in anything other than what he was currently focusing on at the moment. "Hi, Claire. I needed to talk with one of the bros today. How's the squirt been?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She and Veigue had been married for a year and a half now. Their son, Tommy, was a fat, blond version of Veigue. Claire giggled. "Tommy's been good. He and Veigue have been taking naps together a lot lately. What's up?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He could've kept his thoughts to himself or put it more subtly. Maybe it would've sounded better in his head the longer he kept it in. Instead he blurted out, "I think I want to make a baby with Hilda."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a long, drawn out cough in the background. Tytree would've placed Veigue into a headlock had he been right next to him. Luckily, Claire was not as awkward. "Well, why don't you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not awkward, but certainly blunt as always. "Pretty sure she hates me," Tytree said miserably.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sure she doesn't hate you. You two have been dating for almost a year now, haven't you? I don't think Hilda's the kind of person who would bother dating someone if she didn't care for them somehow. She really appreciates you, Tytree."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I know...I know. I just don't really feel like a boyfriend or anything very often. We live together, but we really don't do any relationship stuff. How can I ever expect to start making a family if I don't even know what she likes in bed? Well...we did do it a couple of times, but we were both drunk…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tytree." Claire had turned on her video call function, and her big, blue eyes were narrowed at him, a hand on her hip. "Calm down. Look at me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree obeyed. Claire's eyes softened. She was pretty good at controlling the flow of others' emotions. "I won't say it'll be easy. Hilda has a lot to work on with herself. But she trusts in you enough to get this far, right? Give her time. Let things flow naturally. It wouldn't hurt to give a push now and then, though. But don't get discouraged, Tytree. Things will work out."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, Claire."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a few more minutes of casual conversation, Tytree hung up and, sighing, idly gazed at the laundry. Claire usually was right about this sort of thing, but it didn't make him feel much better. He knew deep down inside a baby wasn't a magical fix, either, but what other actions were even possible?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gacha researching was a lot easier the more he thought about it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a slight breeze as he began to hang up the clothes. The door creaked slightly, and soon Hilda joined him, handing him a beer. "Hey," she greeted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda held up a pair of his pants. There was still a long streak of oil running down one of the legs. She raised an eyebrow. "You need to learn how to wash your clothes better. These oil stains are gonna keep adding up."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I know. How was work?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Terrible. As always."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"One of these days I'm gonna pummel that pasty jerk if no one else gets to him first. He really needs to be taken down a few pegs."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree unintentionally flexed his arm, balling his hand into a fist and pummeling the air. Hilda smiled at him; all he could do was look at his beer can and sip at it. It rarely felt like she ever smiled at him, but when she did his heart couldn’t help but beat slightly out of place. To anyone watching it wouldn’t be anything special, but her smile meant a lot to him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She almost made him spit out his beer when she placed a hand on his shoulder and said, “Thanks. You’re too good to me, Tytree.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s what any decent man would offer.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You haven’t met most men, have you?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They stood side by side in silence for a while, hanging up half-washed clothing. Tytree ran a hand through his thick, green hair, thinking deeper about the dynamics regarding their relationship. From the window they could see Mao and Annie sitting next to each other on the couch as they watched a movie, Annie’s head snugly placed against Mao’s shoulder; Mao’s eyes had almost kind of a twinkle in them. They were younger than he and Hilda, more naive, yet they had something that Tytree couldn’t quite place but desperately wanted. Was it light-heartedness? Youth? Intimacy? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree stole a glance of her as he hung up a turtleneck. Since Hilda worked at a fancy office job, the way she dressed was pretty dignified - fresh-pressed blouse and skirt, decent amount of applied makeup, manicured and painted nails. Yet to anybody who knew her, it still appeared as if she hid from the world - the way her fashionable beret cautiously sat over the nubs where her horns used to be, how she usually looked at someone with a completely expressionless face, how she still isolated herself at most social functions.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even with all of her insecurities, however, Tytree still wanted more with her. He just didn’t know if it was the right choice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they were finished, he made the move of placing a hand over hers. Hilda didn’t try to move hers away, so at least she wasn’t disgusted with his touch. That was surprising. He didn’t work an office job like her or wear his gloves at his job like Veigue did. The factory work was often very demanding and manual-driven, so often his hands were rough and riddled with callouses and burns. It was nice to feel smoother skin, even if it was just her hand. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was only for a few seconds, though, and not wanting to test the mood any further, Tytree soon withdrew his hand, stretching it in the air. “Well, I’m gonna grab another beer and see what they’re watching inside,” he said, grinning. “I’ll make sure that they keep it down if you need to sleep early.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda smirked, rolling her eyes. “Knowing you, you’d make the most noise out of the three of them. I’ll be in soon.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree made his way towards the door and took one final glance behind him. He saw her sigh softly as she took off her beret, allowing the breeze to comb through the nubs over her thick, black hair. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing himself, Tytree gently shut the door behind him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>2</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Small slivers of light crept through the blinds. Hilda kept a hand over her face, wishing she could lay like this forever. Most days she was up long before sunrise, having restless nights of sleep since she was a child. The only time she could remember sleeping well was with Militsa, back in their time in the military. There was also the couple of times she slept with Tytree, once after they saved the world from Zilva's totalitarian ambitions and they both got so drunk they could hardly see, and once when Saleh touched her her first week at the office and she got so drunk she dragged him into the bedroom after.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Loathe as she was to admit it, she wouldn't mind sleeping in the bed with Tytree more often…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Groaning, she got out of bed, slipping on a thin robe. Why was she thinking about this now of all times? She knew Mao and Annie had a much healthier relationship than her and Tytree, but she grumpily blamed it on their hormones making everything more blindingly positive. Even now, the teenagers slept side by side on the couch, one blanket shared between them. From the thin walls, Hilda could also hear Tytree snoring loudly. He was probably stretched out halfway across the floor, limbs sprawled in crazy directions.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda smirked to herself. Too predictable.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It didn't take her too long to get ready, being well-practiced in getting prepared in short time crunches. She picked out a lavender knit hat to wear today. Tytree had made her the hat last Christmas…and it showed. It was poorly knit, with pink yarn flowers to cover up the bigger hats, but it was cute. He knew how self-conscious she was of her nubs still, and he always was trying to make her comfortable. Last time one of her co-workers made fun of that hat, she ripped the poster right off his cubicle wall.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Damn, she was thinking too much about Tytree again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, she grabbed her briefcase and stepped into the living room, tiptoeing around the big lug. His mouth was wide open, and he had a fist half-raised in the air. Just like a child. Hilda stooped to ground level and gently swiped a few loose green hairs across his forehead. Without his bandana his hair was a total mess. He needed to take care of himself better more often, more off days that weren't his seasonal layoff days. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She knew he'd say the same about her and, grimacing, she quickly stood back up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm leaving," Hilda whispered to no one in particular, shutting the door behind her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda had a packed schedule. Five days a week of grueling 12 hour periods, with a two hour commute between car and ferry there and back each time. The pay was decent, but most of her co-workers were terrible and her off days were scheduled around night classes and tarot commissions, so most days felt never-ending for her. Tytree had said to her multiple times that she shouldn't have to work twice as hard just because she was a woman or a Half, but that conversation always ended in fights. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>she shouldn't have to work harder, and yet…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The commute wasn't so bad, once Hilda had gotten used to it. She kept up with plenty of podcasts, most of which discussed world affairs and cultural interactions. Calegia still had a long way to go in fighting racism, and discrimination amongst the groups still was common, especially in rural areas. A good portion of people, even among the allies, was still concerned over interspecies marriage and their resulting Half offspring; it was why Hilda was working so hard in studying to become a defense attorney. If she could just stand up for one person and make their life worth it, it'd help alleviate the pain from her mistakes from the past few years. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>On the ferry she usually listened to smooth jazz, to get her in the mood for the long day. From the ferry was a short taxi ride to the office. As the capital city of Calegia, Balka had a lot of tall buildings and beautiful attractions. Agarte was working hard to spread her progressive ideals by interweaving them with charity events and campaigns.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed to be working so far. Too bad it wasn't fast enough.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The office itself was pretty uninviting. Hilda clocked in and walked past several sullen-looking men, ending with the annoyed-looking Half who occupied the cubicle next to hers. "Good morning, Militsa," she greeted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No response. Sighing to herself Hilda pulled up her chair and turned on the old computer. Things had been strained between them ever since Hilda quit the military to help Veigue and everyone, but their relationship had soured even further ever since she began dating Tytree. Hilda kept telling her that he was the least bit threatening, to no avail. It was a miracle now if they ever talked at work.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No one else talked to Hilda much at work, at least not in a positive manner. Milhaust sometimes worked with her on jobs, but most of the time he worked at the palace with Agarte. The other co-workers were demeaning, lazy, and uncooperative, and Hilda spent long days typing up documents and processing clients, often daydreaming in a world anywhere else. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Today she spent her afternoon doodling on some scrap paper while walking a client through her case over the phone. There wasn't a lot Hilda could do besides ask her some preliminary questions, so she focused most of her attention on a doodle of a wedding. Hilda wasn't much of a skilled artist, but there she was in a corner of the paper, wearing a long but simple wedding dress, orchids resting in her long hair. A flower crown rested on top of her nubs, and she was smiling. Next to her was a pentagon with bushy hair and a cute bowtie, holding her hand while also smiling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Work boring today?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cursing, Hilda scribbled herself out of the doodle as her boss's strong cologne gagged her nostrils. Saleh placed a bony hand on her shoulder, flashing her that carefree, predatory smile of his. The government failed when it didn't prosecute him for any war crimes like it did with Zilva. Hilda tried to shrug it off, adding a bear on the pentagon's other side to detract attention. "I'm not a big part of the action," she said. "Gotta pencil a little fun here and there."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahaha, remind me to get a ball pit in sometime. You get that batch of documents processed?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, Sir."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good. I have three more stacks to add to that. Why don't we walk to my office while I discuss with you the details?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda nodded, not having much of a choice. Saleh rattled off details about a case he was currently working on, using some choice words for his Gajuma client. That sleaze gave defense attorneys a bad name; she hated working for him. He always pocketed the money and favored his Huma clients, treating the Gajuma as afterthoughts while knowing that he was one of the few inexpensive attorneys that could represent them. A lot of other attorneys practiced this as well, but Hilda worked for this one.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She kept trying to shake off his touch as they walked. "How's the home life been with that fat doofus boytoy of yours?" Saleh asked, smirking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He's not any of those," Hilda replied, rolling her eyes. "We get along."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You'd think he'd want you to settle down sometime. Most men find a career woman unattractive."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, well, Tytree's job slows depending on the season, so I can't take the time slacking off."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And he's okay with that?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We make it work."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Saleh stopped them around a corner, grabbing her wrist. Hilda stiffened as he practically stood on top of her. "I always tell you how beautiful you are for a Half, don't I?" he breathed in her ear. "Why do you work so hard when you can dump your oaf and use your talent for better things?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He buried his face in her hair, his other hand slipping to her rear. Hilda's breathing slowed, tempted to kick her boss's ankles from right under him, but she knew better. One wrong move, and there went her job. Milhaust's influence could only help her so much. She gritted her teeth and pulled away slightly, forcing herself to smile. "I like using my brain instead of my body," she finally said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, I bet. You're not getting satisfied at home probably. That idiot can't use his brain or his body, can he? A shame you made him your groom in your doodles, of all people. A rock would fit you better." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Something snapped. Hilda was used to being insulted herself, but she wouldn't allow for her friends to follow the same fate, least of all Tytree. When Saleh pressed against her again, biting her neck, she elbowed him hard, forcing him to back off as she swung at his face. Saleh collapsed to the floor, blood dripping over his pasty white fingers, and he glared at her with a furious look on his face. "I think I'll give someone else those stacks," he breathed. "Why don't you take some time off"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"To sleep with my rock of a boyfriend? At least he can function in bed." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda stormed off back to her cubicle, only allowing herself to breathe and break her work telephone once she say in her chair. From the next cubicle, she could see Militsa peeking over at her, but neither woman said anything. After a few minutes, the typing resumed from the other side, allowing Hilda to quietly gather her personal belongings. There wasn't much, other than some flowers from Annie and a framed photograph of her and her friends, so when she was finished she logged off of the computer and stared miserably at the blank screen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She wanted to cry; she couldn't. She had been raised that emotions made her weak, and the harsh upbringing still stuck with her, after all this time. It would've felt good to beat the shit out of Saleh once and for all, but in the world she lived in, she would be the one in trouble. She couldn't punish her boss or confront Militsa over their shared baggage; she couldn't even fathom telling Tytree what really happened - it wasn't his battle to fight. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before she went home, Hilda parked her car at the apartment complex and walked over to one of the local bars, muffling her problems with some spirits. She spent a long time staring over her drinks, contemplating deeply over life. What did Tytree see in her, anyway? She had only agreed to start dating him on a whim - at a community barbecue, of all places - and their relationship had remained almost stagnant over almost a year. They fought a lot over work and money and how if she didn't keep an eye on him, Tytree would spend all of his money on gacha games. She was ill-tempered, impatient, and cold; the only good she saw herself in was when she made him meals.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda swirled her drink. She knew she wasn't cut out to be a homemaker, yet she also knew she wanted something more with Tytree, whatever that might be. Before she had debated whether that was solely just more sex, but now she realized she wanted more of an...intimate connection. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe even kids at some point?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The woman downed the drink and signalled for a refill. No, that was a bad decision. Mothers were kind and nurturing, like Hilda imagined her mother Naira would've been to her had Tohma not torn them apart. She was just an unemployed Half, doomed to ruin whatever lives she touched. It would do no good to drag a child into her misery.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was near dark when Hilda finally finished her pity party and headed home. All but one of the lights were off when she reached the apartment, which meant that Mao and Annie had already left. She leaned against the door after shutting it. "I'm home," she called.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, welcome home!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree popped out from the kitchen, looking frazzled. There was soot stained on his face and pink apron. Hilda raised an eyebrow at him as he wiped his hands on the sides of his pants. "Hehe, almost had an accident on the stove, woulda sucked if I did," he explained. "The stew's just cooling off if you want some."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I would, thank you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She sat at the table, head foggy enough to deal with any questions Tytree might ask her. He brought a couple of bowls filled with beef, potatoes, and assorted vegetables, a meal perfect to go with alcohol. And good timing as Tytree passed a couple of beers as well. Hilda grabbed it thankfully and quietly gave thanks to the meal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Funny. She wasn't used to them eating together like this. On a day when they both worked, Tytree was usually already asleep by the time she got home, or vice-versa. Even though Tytree's food was mild in flavor, she was always thankful. He placed his heart into whatever he was making. Even the way he ate was with pure enjoyment, quietly scarfing down the stew with the juices streaking down his chin. Childish, yet enjoyable.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda frowned, looking down at her bowl. Her stomach hurt. Luckily they had enough savings for her to not be forced in finding a job right away, but her pride still sunk. There was no way to really break this news gently, either. When Tytree looked up, noticing something was off, she shook her head and wiped her mouth with her napkin. "Looks like I'll be home a lot more often for a while," she explained. "I was...let go."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Whaaat? Is everything okay?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree stood up from his seat. Hilda waved him down. "It's fine. The job was getting old anyway. As long as you don't make any stupid purchases, we should be fine."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, I'm a smart shopper. All my purchases are well-calculated."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Like the giant muffmuff plush you spent all your coins on at the carnival last month?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He was really fluffy!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda chuckled, and Tytree joined her. From the worried look in his eyes, she knew he wanted to ask more questions, but he had stopped himself. She noticed that he did that a lot lately, as if he walked on eggshells around her; she wished he didn't care that much about her. If he cared less, it'd help her stop thinking about wanting a more intimate relationship…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they were finished, she took their dishes, appreciating the warm water against her hands. Now that she thought about it, even the muffmuff plush was meant for her, set on a shelf in the bedroom, and her thoughts spiraled back to their relationship. Why did she keep thinking about this today? Her career meant a lot to her, yet she couldn't help but daydream having a house...sharing a bed...possibly having a muffmuff and kid…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She almost busted a plate. The loud crack sent Tytree back into the kitchen, holding the TV remote. "Hey, everything okay?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thinking a lot?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...yeah…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda took a seat and sighed, resting a hand under her chin. Tytree stood by her, wanting to place his hand on her shoulder, which she wished he did instead of looking so anxious. She felt twenty years stack onto her age. "I don't know what I want in my life, Tytree," she said finally. "I'm working towards this degree, but will there be any use for it if I don't have a purpose in life? I used to think I had no purpose and all, being a Half and all, but now I don't know if I have a purpose if I'm just that bad of a human being.."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're not!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Brown eyes widened as Tytree clasped her hands. His cheeks were puffed out and his eyes were twinkling with determination. That look reminded her of their travels with Veigue and their friends, a look that sought to assure that everything really okay. "You do so much, Hilda, and you deserve a break. If you wanna kick back and veg out for a while, I'll pick up the slack. Don't feel like you gotta cram everything in at once, okay?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah. Thanks."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree would've pulled away, unsure of what to do next, but placing her hands on his shoulders, Hilda pulled him forward into a gentle, slow kiss. He was confused, as always, but never uncomfortable. Hilda knew that Tytree loved her a lot and likely wanted more from her; she just wasn't sure if she could reciprocate wholeheartedly yet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All she could do was live in the moment and offer him what she had now. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In a realm untouched by humans, the Sacred Beasts came and went as they pleased. Shaorune laid across a ledge, lazily watching the earthly realm from a crystal ball. Fenia walked into the cave, crossing her arms with a knowing smile. "You really care for them, don't you, Shaorune?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon sat up alert, a worried look in his big, blue eyes. "Mao tells me things here and there. I wanna help Tytree and Hilda out! It sounds like they've been struggling lately."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It is not your place to help," Eephon pointed out. "Their problem will not negatively affect the world on a grand scale, and they're old and wise enough to figure things out by themselves."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune cocked his head. "Yeah, but can't I meddle just as a friend? Sometimes even the wisest of humans need a small nudge in the right direction."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Fenia smirked. Out of all of the Sacred Beasts, Shaorune was the most whimsical. "Just don't overexert yourself. You don't need to make their problems bigger."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't worry, I won't!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They watched as he ran around in circles, chasing his tail until a blue light engulfed his body. Even they couldn't predict what Shaorune would do, once he had a thought in his head there was little they could do. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The blue light got bigger and warmer until tinges of white spread to the edges. Then Shaorune was gone, leaving everyone else to spectate their friends once again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>03 </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It felt like Hilda aged ten years while she sat hunched over the table, sifting through the various bills and bank statements. Overall, she didn't like what she saw. She and Tytree shared the financial responsibility, but this month's bills were stacked and unpaid, a common occurrence on Tytree's end, much to Hilda's frustration. It wasn't that he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad </span>
  </em>
  <span>with money; he just misplaced it at bad times. Yes, he spent a good chunk of it on gacha, but more often he would give money and food to the less fortunate and struggling, which was a good act...except he often left himself - and his bills - short. Hilda couldn't count the number of times Veigue or Eugene had brought him home because he didn't have the bus fare to get back himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Hilda groaned. It had only been a week since she was let go from her job and luckily her savings would last a while, but she still needed to be careful with how much she spent. They couldn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>both </span>
  </em>
  <span>be financially irresponsible. Judging from the statements, if she allotted this amount to this bill and that amount to that bill, they'd be close to catching up on everything…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The front door opened and shut. Hilda raised an eyebrow at Tytree, who only had on his pair of heart printed boxer shorts. His bushy green hair, usually tied back with a bandana, was loose and falling in his face, and his sheepish grin was in full force. "I, uh, lost in a strip poker game?" he lied.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh-huh. Try again."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She handed him an old faded concert t-shirt. Tytree pulled it over his head, looking away. "I...might have lost my things in an alley."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Again</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Look at the time. Since I don't have my phone, I should probably go over to Selena's and ask her if she needs a helping hand-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree would've darted right back outside, had not Hilda went to block the doorway, arms crossed. She looked up and saw that his face was swollen and scraped as well. Gently, she stroked under his eye with a finger. "Tytree, we've talked about this," she said brusquely. "Just because you're trying to rely less on your fists doesn't mean you can let yourself be treated like a doormat. You were just robbed like this three months ago!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, well, I tried to fight back, but he had buddies."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, if you know at least what one of them look like, we can file a police report."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not so fast, Hilda. I, uh, might've owed them back a little...money…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tytree!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda tugged on his cheeks, now annoyed. They struggled from time to time, but they didn't need to go down the path of dealing with loan sharks. For a split second in her distress, she wanted to hit him, but her hands settled loosely on his face. His eyes were wide and sad. "I just hate seeing you work so hard, you know?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I know, you big lug. You talk about </span>
  <em>
    <span>me </span>
  </em>
  <span>not taking care of myself, though. Honestly. And make sure to put on some pants if you go back outside."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Hilda went to get something for his face, Tytree took a pair of sweatpants from the couch and put them on, rubbing his sore face. Well, he was glad Hilda took that a lot better than he expected. Luckily he didn't have a lot of money in his wallet when it was stolen, either. It'd be a pain to redownload all of his data onto a new phone, though. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A chill ran up Tytree's spine when he finally went back outside to throw out the garbage. He felt a presence near him as he walked to the dumpster. The presence didn't feel bad, like when he was followed by three gang members earlier after a quick lunch; on the contrary, this presence felt non-threatening, even friendly. Maybe it was a stray animal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree took a quick peek in the dumpster when he tossed the garbage bag in. No life, only atrocious smells. Rubbing his nose Tytree quickly closed back up the dumpster. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When he turned around, he almost knocked over a little boy. "Oh, hey, there. Sorry 'bout that," he apologized.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, hey, Tytree!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree stared blankly at the boy. He didn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>think </span>
  </em>
  <span>he'd ever met him before. The boy looked about ten, with spiky dirty blond hair streaked with red and wide blue eyes. All he had on was a paper grocery bag over his torso and a loincloth. No one from the neighborhood, that was for sure. "Do I know you, little boy?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah! It's Shaorune! You like my new look? I thought I'd hang with you and Hilda for a bit."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree furrowed his eyebrows. "You can't fool me. Shaorune's a cute and cuddly Sacred Beast. You're only a cute and cuddly kid. Kid, why don't you got clothes on, anyway?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune shrugged, walking back towards the apartment complex. "Didn't think things far when I shapeshifted. Thought you and Hilda could take care of me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And if you really are Shaorune, why me and Hilda? Don't you get along better with Mao and Annie...or even Veigue?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, but that just means I got to play with you two the least. Ooh, can we play some bball or some skateboards?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, give me a sec. Hilda? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hilda!</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He continued to scream like that until Hilda finally stormed out of their apartment, clearly peeved until she saw Shaorune. Then she almost looked disappointed, shaking her head at Tytree. "You got your things stolen by a kid?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hi, Hilda, it's Shaorune!" Shaorune greeted, producing Tytree's phone from out of nowhere. "I picked up Tytree's phone along the way. It looked important."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The couple looked at each other. Tytree grabbed his phone, opening his contacts list. "I think we need to call Eugene," he breathed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Without Eugene, everyone's life would be for the worst. Veigue and Tytree would've probably have tied rushing in to save Claire and Selena, Annie would've grown up to be a horrible Gajuma racist, and Mao would've blown up the world with his innate powers given by the Sacred Beasts. Eugene was the calm, collected father figure that everyone needed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even now, the large Gajuma remained patient as he thoroughly examined Shaorune in his home in Balka. The Sacred Beast remained cheerful, swinging his new human legs back and forth as he sat on top of the kitchen counter. Hilda thumbed through a magazine, pretending to be unconcerned while Tytree looked like he was about to go off the deep end. "Give it to me straight, Eugene. Is this really our little Shaorune? He's not dying, is he?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eugene resisted the urge to chuckle behind the beard he was growing. "Tytree, it would do you a little more good to spend some time with Veigue, you know. Even without me looking, Mao and Annie already confirmed that this is indeed Shaorune."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> As if on cue, Annie came out of the hallway, followed by Mao. Both were carrying boxes. Annie opened her box and poked around the contents. "It was quite common in the past for the Sacred Beasts to shapeshift and play mischievous pranks on humans," she stated. "Back when there was less human strife and war. I don't think any of Mao's clothes will fit you, though, Shaorune. He's grown a lot since you last saw him."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mao stood next to Shaorune and ruffled his hair. "I can't blame him for wanting to be a kid. Being a kid is fun! I wish I could bother Tytree and Hilda more often myself."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda smirked, flipping a magazine page as Tytree shook a fist at Mao. Always the pair of reckless brothers. Standing up, she wrapped her gray scarf around Shaorune's neck. "We'll get you some clothes on the way back. Little boys don't normally wear grocery bags."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, Mom!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune's cheeks were stretched. Hilda looked him at eye-level sternly. "You better learn this quickly, boy. I'm much too young and pretty to be anyone's mother. Now get off the counter. I'm helping Eugene with lunch."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kaaaay."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree hung out with the kids while Hilda began prepping salads, slicing up small radish pieces with a knife. She wasn't the closest with Eugene, but he was one of the few people who made her feel at ease. Perhaps it was their shared time in the military, but his thoughts were usually thoughtful and practical. He didn't even blink an eye when they brought Shaorune to his house. "So, any luck finding a job?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda shook her head. "Market's hard. We'll be okay for now."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You know I have tea with Milhaust and Her Majesty twice a week. I'm sure they'd be happy to help out if I told them your situation."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nah, I really don't wanna get HR involved. I appreciate your help, though."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eugene molded ground turkey into patties. His eyes lingered on Tytree's bulking form animatedly chatting with the others. "Forgive me if this sounds intrusive, but you getting along well with Tytree? I know you two have had bumps in the road before."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda raised an eyebrow. Usually Eugene didn't pry into her personal life. "Mao been telling you something?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well...yes," Eugene admitted, looking away. "He didn't say anything bad. He just noticed you two were a little stressed."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We're adults. That's just a part of life."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hilda, I learned a lot later than most adults my age that there's more to life than just resigning yourself to fate. It's not so bad thinking outside of the box every once in a while."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What, and let loose like Mr. Blockhead by my side? Someone has to be responsible. Do you know he let himself get robbed again today? By dealing with loan sharks. Honestly, he never thinks through. "</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You sound just like a doting girlfriend, you know."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I never imagined you to be the joking type."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She placed the radishes in a bowl, annoyance swelling up within her. If even Eugene noticed her behavior, she really </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>getting too soft. They remained silent for a few moments until the Gajuma set the patties on a plate and turned to her, stroking his beard. "Will you two be okay with Shaorune staying with you? He's a Sacred Beast and far older than all of us, but as a human boy he seems very naive. He won't add to your troubles, will he?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He's not a baby, so I think we'll manage. Besides, it's not like he's gonna be with us forever. He'll just be around for a couple of days, we make a few kid-sized meals, and we'll go back to living our sad, middle class lives."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hilda…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When Eugene went outside to grill the burgers, Tytree joined him. He always appreciated a good grilling, and grilling with one of his best buddies always put a smile on his face. Eugene was like a second dad to him, always offering guidance to him when he needed it. "Hilda seems to be worried about you," the Gajuma mentioned as he flipped one of the burgers. "You had a little trouble earlier today?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nothing too serious," Tytree replied, rubbing his nose. "Just owed a little money is all. Anyway, I'm just as worried about her. She'll never admit how hard she's actually been working trying to find a new job. She'd never stop working if it were up to her!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>struggle paying your bills from time to time, Tytree."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, but that's on me, not her. She should only be worrying about spending her money on her hair or nails or tacky jewelry. "</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't think Hilda thinks about those sorts of things, Tytree…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree grinned. Eugene flipped another patty, shaking his head."You two are more alike than you think," he said under his breath.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, I heard that!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were quiet for a few moments. Then the gears turned in Tytree's head, and his grin widened, hit with a brilliant idea. "Hey, I wonder how long Shaorune's gonna stick around. Maybe Hilda would think I'm cool if I act like a cool dad."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Taking care of a child is a big responsibility. You know, Mao and Annie are teenagers, but even they can be a handful at times. They keep me youthful still."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you mean, Eugene?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, you know…" Eugene sweatdropped, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Puberty. You think you know everything at my age, and then you hear a new kissing craze or a...meme. And Shaorune is younger than them, so he probably has a lot more energy. If he does stay for a while, I hope you two won't become too winded."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nah, we'll be fine. I can keep up with him."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And Hilda? Is that what she wants?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Weeeell…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree's voice trailed off. They finished grilling the burgers as the others joined them. Shaorune ran ahead of everyone, spinning in circles, followed by a grinning Mao. Annie and Hilda came out last, in the midst of a conversation of bath bombs. Tytree kept his focus on Hilda, watching her face soften, her black eyes twinkling in merriment as they looked relaxed for the first time in a few days.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Would Shaorune help or hurt or stress?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn't think much more of it as they sat down and Mao did a variant of his Dinner Song, appropriately titled the Lunch Song. Shaorune sat between him and Hilda, forgoing the other ingredients in favor of tearing the party apart with his teeth. After a few noisy grunts from the Sacred Beast, Hilda dabbed her mouth with a napkin and put a forkful of salad by the boy's mouth. "Vegetables are important too, Shaorune," she said. "You're gonna give yourself a heart attack eating like that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune poked a piece of lettuce with a finger and scrunched his nose. "Ew, greens. Fenia makes me eat those all the time. Besides, Tytree's eating the same way and he's fine!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda glared at the man who was scarfing down a burger in three gulps. He paused for a few seconds, eyes widening upon realizing they were watching him, then choked as he downed some water. The others sweatdropped, and Hilda shook her head. " Do you see what I mean?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, I'll eath salath iff you wanth me to," Tytree mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is there enough burger in your water?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Neeth more greath- mmf!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The forkful of salad was shoved in Tytree's mouth. He coughed but swallowed it with the help of more water. Mao grinned, pointing to Eugene. "You gotta have at least one person to look out for you. Eugene makes sure I eat a balanced breakfast every day, and Annie reminds me of regular checkups. I can't really imagine Hilda ever looking out for Tytree, though…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Watch your mouth, boy. He can look after himself."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mao pursed his lips, letting out a low whistle. Annie patted his head, smiling. "There's nothing like family watching out for you," she agreed. "How long do you think you'll be staying with Hilda and Tytree anyway, Shaorune?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Dunno. Until I can recharge my powers. Could be a few days, could be a few centuries-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>What?!</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The edge in Hilda's voice was clear as she stood up suddenly, aghast. This was the complete opposite of what they needed right now. She placed a hand on Shaorune's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "You're kidding, right? We're not equipped to take care of a little boy. You'll just be in the way."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Awww, don't be like that, Hilda! I think we'll have a lot of fun together."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There's nothing </span>
  <em>
    <span>fun </span>
  </em>
  <span>about staying with a couple of stressed out, laid off adults. Go stay here or with Veigue and Claire. They already got a boy of their own."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Awww, but I wanna get to know you two better!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There's nothing much left to know."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree placed a hand on Shaorune's shoulder, putting his other hand in a stopping motion. This wasn't going according to plan. He needed to milk the cute and cuddly angle for all it's worth. "Now, hold on, Hilda. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>one of our friends, after all. Pleaaaase?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pleaaaase?" Shaorune joined in, eyes wide.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda's eyes narrowed for a second. Then she finally relented, her shoulders sagging as she sighed. "Fine. But don't cause trouble. Either of you. The last thing I need is cross-country shenanigans during my job hunt."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yaaaay!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Standing up Shaorune did a little jump and hugged Hilda. Tytree wanted to follow suit, but the woman looked uncomfortable, her posture stiffening upon contact. At least she didn't try knocking him off of her. Grumbling to herself she crossed her arms, shaking her head. "First things first.  We're stopping to get you proper clothes."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yaaaay. Wait, why do I need clothes again?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was almost a heartwarming sight. Mao, who was on Tytree's other side, put his head against his hand and pursed his lips. "Hmmm, you three are gonna be a weird family," he commented.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree shook his head, blushing. "No, no, no. Little Shao's just staying with us for a while."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"'Little Shao.' Already got nicknames for him, huh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, it's not like that! Eugene, Annie, help me out here!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eugene and Annie looked at each other, and after a brief father-daughter exchange, the girl took a bite of her burger and the man looked down at the table, almost awkwardly. "Tytree, you wear your heart on your sleeve and it's painfully obvious," he said finally.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wait, what is that supposed to mean? Eugene? Eugene!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His voice grew louder and louder until everyone at the table stared at him. Hilda sipped at her water and shook her head. Painfully obvious was definitely an understatement…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>*** </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree stretched his arms far and wide as he ushered the three of them into the apartment. On his arms were bags of clothing, which he spread across the coffee table. "Okay, Shaorune, we got some options for you from the markets," he said, grinning. "Now I'm not the best in picking fashion, but these sure oughta be comfy, much comfier than a paper bag."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune took a few pieces of clothing, sniffed them, and nuzzled them against his cheek. "Thanks, Tytree! These look swell. Let me go change."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He sprinted into the bathroom, paper bag already halfway off his body before he closed the door. Tytree crossed his arms, proud of himself. "Well, that was easy."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda scoffed, stacking up a few plates with crumbs of coffee cake and beer stained glasses. "Easy, huh? If we're gonna have a little boy around, even if it is Shaorune, we're gonna have to start keeping this place a little cleaner. This apartment looks like a lonely bachelor pad."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Bachelor pad?" Tytree repeated. "I think our mess adds character."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nice try. Help me clean, would you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda was right. Neither of them were ever very suited in domestic tasks, but they were slacking off recently. It seemed like the stress of Hilda's unemployment was getting the better of them. Tytree made a face finding a bowl of old fish and rice sitting behind the curtains. Well, that's where </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> smell was coming from the past couple of days. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sink was overflowing with dishes, so Tytree began working on washing them while Hilda gathered dirty laundry. They were busy, exuding a chaotic energy until Shaorune burst out of the bathroom, grinning widely. "These clothes work like a charm!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The white t-shirt was a little baggy on him, but the blue sports jacket fit well. A pair of sky blue basketball shorts sat loosely on his hips, and the pair of yellow rain boots dangled from his wrists. Hilda raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Don't know what season you want to dress up for, do you, boy?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune rocked on the balls of his feet. "Dunno. Was thinking of playing some bball, though. You pals got a court anywhere?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There's a park close by. You can't play ball with your shoes on your hands, though. Here." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda gently pulled off the boots from Shaorune's wrists and rearranged them to their proper place. After pulling up his shorts a few times, she finally settled for using an old tie-dyed scarf around his waist. "Tytree's sister or Claire can probably fit this better for you," she murmured. "I could look for some safety pins or something. I'm not much of a seamstress unfortunately."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, she made an extra knot on the scarf for good measure. "Now you and Tytree can help me make this place more childproof. We </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>have a spare room, but we still have to assemble a bed for you. Claire said Veigue can help out with that in a few days. But in the meantime, no one likes a messy room."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The three of them spent the rest of the day cleaning. Since the spare room was used mostly for storage, they had to move and sort through several boxes. Ironically a lot of it was old and expired cleaning supplies, destined to collect dust before ultimately being thrown in the trash. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a small room, not much bigger than a closet, so they were able to dust and mop it fairly quickly, but there was still the rest of the apartment to be cleaned. Dusting, vacuuming, mopping, mopping again because Tytree spilled juice everywhere in the midst of a break. At the end of the day, Tytree and Shaorune laid face-down against the fresh-smelling carpet, exhausted; Hilda sat slumped over a head, her chin resting against the top, and the three of them sat in silence until a loud grumbling sound hit the air. “So, which one of us is gonna make dinner?” Tytree mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda looked up, bemused. “How can you muster up the energy to think about food? All I want is a bath and a beer."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, what's in the fridge for Shao and me to eat?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Leftover fish and some bean soup. We haven't gone grocery shopping this week."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Agh, okay. Shaorune, gimme a minute. Let's go pick up some McDonald's."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Normally Hilda would object at least a little, especially after eating burgers for lunch, but tonight there were protests from the woman. Soon Tytree and Shaorune were outside the trademark red building with the golden arch sign. Petnadjanka's McDonald's wasn't fancy like the ones in the capital, but it was functional enough to feed a family. Shaorune's eyes were bright and had stars in them. "Wow, Tytree. The dumpster smells amazing."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree placed a hand on Shaorune's shoulder and laughed. "Wait til we get inside! Now, nothing beats a homemade burger, Shaorune, but sometimes you just gotta get your food a little fast, hence 'fast food'. It's amazing. We didn't have this when I was a kid."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You didn't?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nah. We grew up in the aftermath of the war, so the country had to rebuild. Even the fancy Mickie D's in Balka probably weren't built more than ten years ago."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wow."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah. Luckily Mom and Pops worked hard enough, so me and my sibs didn't ever have to starve or anything. We used to eat soooo much stew. First time I ate at a McDonald's three years ago, I ate so much I felt like my stomach was gonna explode!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wow. Think I can do that?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? No, Hilda'll get mad at us, eheh."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were in front of the entrance. Shaorune looked up at Tytree innocently. “Hilda doesn’t like fun much, does she?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Weeeell, Hilda just has a different version of fun than we do.” Tytree leaned against the building, pondering over activities she did that were age-appropriate to tell. Sacred Beast that was technically older than him or not, he wasn’t comfortable describing everything to someone who appeared ten. “She’s got a killer aim at throwing darts, farther than anyone I know. And she can watch all the scary movies without looking away. And uh, she’s just one of the smartest people I know. Some people are just smart funny.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t like scary movies, Tytree?”</span>
  <span></span>
    <br/>
  
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Uhhh….ah, man, I’m so hungry! Let’s get inside already!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ushering the boy inside, they were soon greeted by a stronger variety of smells. This was the only McDonald's around, but outside the breakfast rush, there was never much traffic in the restaurant. The food never really caught on with those in the countryside other than the youth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune's eye caught on a colorful display of toy cars. He pointed to it. "Whoa, these look cool! What are they?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, they're toys," Tytree replied. "They come in the Happy Meals. You want one?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Give me ten!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree ended up ordering four Happy Meals for Shaorune and a classic Big Mac and waffle fries for himself. He watched the boy playing with the cars and occasionally taking a bite out of his patty while he stuffed his own face. Judging from his expression, Shaorune looked pretty satisfied.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Taking care of a kid isn't all that bad, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Tytree thought.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hilda drives an old car," Shaorune said finally. "It's not as cool and flashy as these cars. She can afford a cool and flashy car, can't she?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, she can, but she takes really good care of her car. She doesn't even let me eat in there."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But can </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>afford a cool and flashy car?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, uh, sure I can!" Tytree lied, looking away as he thought of the fact that he could barely parallel park. "If I really wanted to, which I don't. I'd buy the coolest and flashiest car!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mm-hmm. If you bought one, buy one with streaks like my hair, 'kay?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune took a waffle fry and bit into it, grinning. That smug look on his face made Tytree want to suddenly go out and buy a flashy car. He cursed himself, knowing that even on a good paycheck he couldn't afford much more than a decent-looking junker. No big city money for him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they got home Hilda was in the living room, bathed and brushing her long hair. She looked up when they stepped in, looking more mellow than when they had left. "Welcome home," she greeted. "Have enough burgers today?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She twitched as Shaorune wrapped his arms around her waist in a hug, then relaxed. Tytree wiggled his leftover bag. "We got you a Big Mac for later."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks." Looking down at Shaorune, Hilda attempted a smile and ruffled his hair. "Kid, you'll be sleeping with me until we can nab you a bed. And it's getting close to bedtime. A proper night's rest is important for everyone."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Awww, but I want Tytree to teach me to drive!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Both of them echoed "What?" as Shaorune walked around the room, then settled for a corner and curled himself in a ball. Hilda crossed her arms and turned to Tytree, who defensively put his hands in front of him. "We were just talking about cars," he protested. "They were in his Happy Meal."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No funny business, Tytree. I mean it. The last thing we need is the police coming around because they see a kid driving."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Me and my cousins used to drive around when we were around 13. It wouldn't be terribly different."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, and you almost cried when you thought you had to make a u-turn last week when you used the car. Good night, Tytree."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She placed a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it, then draped a blanket over Shaorune's body. Stretching, Tytree stood alone watching Shaorune's still form, then sighed and shut off the lights. There was a lot more to raising a child than he thought.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wishing that Hilda would invite him to sleep in the same bed at least once, he shut the curtains and turned on the TV, hoping that he could find something good to watch before bed.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hilda took two deliberate steps out of the bathroom, her hair and upper half of her t-shirt drenched in water. It had been a week since Shaorune came to stay with them and while he was already a hyperactive Sacred Beast, personifying him into a ten year old boy had amplified that tenfold. He had so much </span>
  <em>
    <span>energy</span>
  </em>
  <span>. They'd developed a routine where Shaorune wouldn't sit still for anything, not even for bathtime; he'd constantly cannonball out of the bathtub and run around, often escaping out into the parking lot. It was exhausting. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They didn't have time for this. Tytree was bringing home Veigue and Claire and little Tommy today, and they would be home any minute. Hilda noticed the door slightly open, which meant that Shaorune was out and about in his birthday suit...again. Great. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was tying her hair back when her phone rang. It was Milhaust. "Hello," she greeted. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hi, Hilda, how are you?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm good. Currently chasing a hellion. Is everything okay?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Milhaust was polite, but he usually didn't make social calls out of the blue. The man was mostly business. There was a long pause over the phone before he was out with it. "There have been some nasty rumors going around the office," he said slowly, searching for the right words. "Saleh is using his influence in blacklisting you with sister firms."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I figured that much. How bad are we talking?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Agarte knows."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That bad, huh?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Agarte was recently taking more of a hands-on approach in ruling the country, she was still scatterbrained and often overlooked the obvious. For even her to realize something was amiss meant that Saleh's bony hands were making a mess everywhere. Milhaust let out a sigh. "Hilda, I'm going to be honest with you. It's probably would be a wise idea if you started looking into other options for work for now."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're kidding me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"At least until it passes over. Agarte and I can't offer you a job until you pass your bar exam next year. Tytree can't get you into the factory where he works, can he?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda opened the fridge and took out a Ziploc bag of lamb meat and cheese. "No, he's laid off. There's too many people working there as it is. Same at the textile factory where his sister Selena works."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Petnadjanka's unemployment rate has been increasing rapidly these past few years. We're going to have to start looking at solutions," Milhaust mused. "Okay. I'm going to do what I can to pull my weight in with some of the people I know. Just keep doing what you can, okay, Hilda?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Will do. Goodbye, Milhaust."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Goodbye."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hanging up she sprinted outside and leaned over the rails, searching for her target. Shaorune was nowhere in sight, much to Hilda's annoyance. She shook the bag in hopes to persuade him. "Shaorune!" she called. "I've got some meat for you!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No response at first. Then there was a rustling in one of the trees. Hilda slowly looked up, dreading what she knew she was going to see. And what she saw was Shaorune sitting up on one of the top tree branches, buck naked and smiling. “Hi, Hilda! What kind of meat is it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know it’s lamb. Now come down here. Tytree and the others will be here any second.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But you know, I kinda like the view up here. You think you can bring that tasty lamb up here?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes Hilda wished it was socially acceptable to use her Force. It was pretty frowned upon to strike lightning bolts at a Sacred Beast, even moreso at a child. She wiggled the bag more forcefully. “It has some good cheese I picked up too. Come on, Shaorune. Don’t you wanna see your friends when they come home?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmmm....I do. Okay, Hilda, go and catch me!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The woman flinched as Shaorune flung himself right on top of her, wrapping his chubby arms around her neck. His face immediately went for the food, poking his tongue into the Ziploc like a dog. Sighing, Hilda rubbed his back and began carrying him back towards the apartment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was this exact timing that the car pulled up into the parking lot. Tytree and Claire had a close up view of Shaorune’s butt as he kept wiggling in Hilda’s arms. In the car Veigue wrapped his fingers around his son’s hand and pointed at them. “Look, Tommy. Friends.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Butts!” Tommy burbled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was going to be a long day.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Later the women were in the kitchen preparing lunch while the men were busy building Shaorune’s bed. Shaorune kept running back and forth between the two, his arms outstretched on either side of him like an airplane. When his airplane noises grew louder, Hilda placed a hand on his shoulder the next time he passed the kitchen. “Keep it down, okay? The little one’s probably sleeping in the other room.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune nodded and audibly decreased his airplane noises. Next to her Claire giggled. “Sounds like he’s fitting in.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda made an annoyed look. “He’s like a mini Tytree. He eats </span>
  <em>
    <span>so much </span>
  </em>
  <span>meat, Claire. It’s like he’s never seen a vegetable in his life. And he has so much energy. Kids aren’t that much different from dogs, I swear. You really lucked out with Tommy, huh?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Haha, yeah. Takes after his father. He doesn’t talk much. But Veigue adores him and takes him everywhere he goes. He’s made two backpacks so far specifically to carry him around when the stroller’s hard to use.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I feel like Tytree would do that if we had one. Or if Shaorune was smaller.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you ready yet to see him as a doting daddy?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”Nah, he can barely take care of himself sometimes.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The hammering suddenly came to a stop, followed by a loud cry. Tytree came out of the room holding his bleeding hand. “Stabbed my hand with one of the nails,” he explained, a wry smile on his face. “Either of you ladies wanna kiss it better?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claire giggled. Hilda wiped her hands on a towel and jerked Tytree’s hand forward, examining it. She shook her head. “Make sure you disinfect it first before you put a band-aid on it. Here, I can do it.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree yelped while she ran his hand over with hot water. She was not gentle as she scrubbed around the area with a spare towel. Veigue and Shaorune peeked out from the bedroom, and the boy patted Hilda’s backside. “Hilda, Tytree’s not dying, is he?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, he’ll be fine. He’s just being overdramatic again. How’s the bed coming along, Veigue?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Veigue looked up and nodded. “We just finished up. Shaorune wanted to play basketball when we finished, so we'll head on ahead to the park. Claire, do you need help carrying anything?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, we'll be fine. You boys go on ahead."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The park was a short walk away. Shaorune resumed his airplane noises, zooming back and forth between Veigue and Tytree. Playing basketball was one of the boy's favorite pastimes, and he often woke up Tytree in the middle of the night asking him to play, much to his grief. It was like he never tired. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At least Veigue could play along. He was a lot more helpful in person, quiet but patient, willing to help his friends whenever possible. His slender frame looked awkward in a plain t-shirt and a baby harness with Tommy in it, but his face held determination. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a look that looked towards victory, but Tytree wasn't about to give in so easily. Quickly he fixed his hair into a bun and turned to Shaorune, placing his hand on his hip. "Okay, Shao, you ready to kick some butt?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune threw his jacket to the ground and grinned. "Ready!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He dribbled the ball back and forth and they began. It was one on two, but Veigue had both the height advantage and a cute baby on his side. He was able to keep stealing the ball and shooting hoops with ease, much to the others' frustration. Shaorune looked like he was about to pierce the ball with his teeth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was time to kick it up a notch. While Veigue had the ball, Tytree crouched at Shaorune's side and cupped his hands over the boy's ears. "Hey, you wanna turn the tides on this guy?" he asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stars ran across Shaorune's eyes. "Yeah!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Veigue had his defenses up, his slender but toned arms skillfully guarding the ball. The Force of Ice really suited him. Tytree positioned himself behind Shaorune, arms outstretched, and grinned. It was time to be a cool dad. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a slight spring in his step, Veigue made his way for the basket. At the same time, Tytree ran forward and scooped Shaorune in his arms. Along the way Shaorune stole the ball from Veigue's possession, and the duo jumped for a satisfying slam dunk. The ball made a sweet swooshing sound as it went through the basket, and Tytree made a victory cry. "Yeaaaah! We did it! You did so good, Shaorune!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yaaaay!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They ran a lap around the court. It was their only victory lap, as Veigue would not let them perform the feat a second time. His defenses were really worthy of the Force of Ice user. Shaorune tried to intercept the man by jumping onto his shoulders, but it was of no use. He was just very focused.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they were finished, Shaorune was huddled in a corner, biting the ball, and Veigue and Tytree took a walk around the park while they waited for the women. It was nice to spend some time with one of the bros. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Veigue was observant, as always. "You and Shaorune seemed to be getting along well," he said. "Does Hilda share your sentiments?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree blinked, then laughed. "Always straight to the point with you, huh? Weeeell...Hilda's...worried."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Worried?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe 'worried' wasn't the best way to put it. "She thinks Shao's rubbing off on me too much."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How so?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Dunno. He doesn't sleep normally like humans do, so we often spend the nights playing video games."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I've been eating a lot more meat lately too. The kid likes meat." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Veigue looked like he wanted to continue pressing forward with the topic, but their conversation was interrupted by something else. A group of teenagers was arguing with Shaorune. They looked to be around 13, but they were pretty nasty. A tall boy in a baseball cap, probably the leader, pushed Shaorune to the ground and cackled. "-and that's why we all think you're a freak!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before he could stop himself, Tytree ran forward and punched the kid straight in the face, right to the ground. The other kids scrambled; before he could hit again, Veigue held his fist back. While Shaorune cheered him on, the women arrived, and Hilda held his other arm so far behind his back he thought it was going to break. "Are you stupid or something?" she snapped. "How many times do we have to tell you that violence solves no problems?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But he-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And you, kid!" Hilda added in a lower voice. "If you were trying anything with our kid...don't."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A spark of lightning ran across her fingers. The kid knew better than to say anything else and ran, sending Shaorune one last nasty look before he was off. Veigue turned to Claire as soon as Hilda dragged Tytree into a corner. "I see what she means," he murmured.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Beating up kids? Are you crazy, Tytree?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He called Shaorune a freak! I wasn't about to let him get away with that!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There were several other alternatives you could've done before that one. Do you really think no one isn't gonna see you make a spectacle of yourself like that?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their arguing grew louder and louder. Shaorune walked over to Veigue and Claire and crossed his arms, nodding. "They've been doing that a lot lately," he commented. "Do you think they still like each other?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sparks of lightning grew more frequent; Veigue and Claire looked at each other, the latter's eyes softening. "Well, Shaorune, sometimes when adults really care about each other they fight," Claire said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And sometimes they do it when they're about to kill each other."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Veigue!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The three of them watched Hilda chase Tytree around the park, sparks flying from her hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune had a feeling the fighting was a bit of both.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To take a break and cool off, Hilda and Claire took Shaorune out for a stroll in Petnadjanka's open market. Truth be told, Claire would've been one of the last of their friends Hilda would've casually hung out with, considering the differences in personality, but she was a comforting presence while Hilda cleared her head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune enjoyed the atmosphere of the market. Stalls of people yelled back and forth, advertising their wares, and the raw smell of different types of meat wafted through the air. Humans had it good in these last few centuries, war aside. They made technology to cook food with stoves and grills and microwaves, which in turn created more tasty food. Shaorune still preferred the taste of fresh meat, primal instincts strong within him, but it was nice to have the option. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He enjoyed Hilda and Claire, too. They smelled nice. Claire smelled like baby powder and flowers, while Hilda smelled like perfume and sweet shampoo. Hilda wasn't the girliest woman Shaorune had encountered, but it was clear she kept to a strict beauty and cleaning regiment, which was also nice. A lot of humans lacked much hygiene at all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda held his hand along the way, leading him from one stall to another. She didn't want to be called a mother, but Shaorune thought she acted like one. She wasn't warm and friendly like Claire, but her mannerisms were patient and focused. Throughout the week she constantly fussed over him, making sure he bathed and ate other things besides meat. She groomed - brushed - his hair and made sure that his clothes were all put on in the right spots. And she made sure that Tytree was similarly functionable as well. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He just wished she and Tytree would manage their feelings better. It was frustrating to watch, and Shaorune was impatient. The couple often fought, but one would usually comfort the other in some awkward way before the night was over. Tytree would crack some unfunny joke or Hilda would pull out a couple of beers or bowls of noodles, and they'd talk, but their conversations always fell flat of progressing into something more intimate. There was something </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span>; it just never manifested into anything. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, Shaorune believed they could be something. Maybe they wouldn't be a doting couple like Veigue and Claire or Mao and Annie, but the passion was there. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure when he let go of Hilda’s hand, but soon his nose led him drifting across to a smoked sausage stand. His mouth watered while he watched a middle-aged man wrap up the meat for his customers. It was tempting to just run up to the sausages and take a few with his teeth, but he knew taking prey like this was frowned upon in human culture. The humans called it stealing, and often they got really mad about it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So he sat on his haunches, his wide blue eyes twinkling, quietly hoping the man would drop his goods so he’d throw them in the trash. Trash sausages were just as good as regular sausages. A few passerbys gave him dirty looks, assuming he was a beggar, but most, including the stall owner, ignored him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was one woman who was different from the rest. She smelled similar to Hilda, not just in cleanliness but in her distinct scent of Half blood, a scent made up of overwhelmingly modest humanity. Long, black hair draped over her horns and ears, and she wore a bright blue floral dress. Her temperament was anxious, yet firm and kind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune felt like his eyes were going to explode as the woman knelt in front of him and handed him a wrapped sausage. It still felt warm in his hands. “Here, kid. You look like you’re dying to have one of these,” she commented.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Whoa, thank you! I’m gonna treasure this for the rest of my life.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And the boy proceeded to scarf down the sausage, wrapper and all. The woman was taken aback, but she chose not to say anything about his strange behavior. “You’re welcome. Just trying to add a little kindness to the world, you could say.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Neat. I’m Shaorune.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He took her hand and shook it. Her shoulders tensed for a few seconds but relaxed halfway, lowering her eyes. Shaorune sensed a lot of hardship in her life. “Militsa,” she said, giving an awkward smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just because I gave you smoked sausage, little boy?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune grinned. “Yes!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before she could respond he scampered off, looking to reunite with Hilda and Claire. He had a feeling he’d see her again soon, and it was time to catch up with friends. Being human certainly had its exciting moments. The wind dragged behind him as he ran, ready for the next adventure.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>05</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sun was just beginning to rise, tinges of pink and purple streaking across the sky. Shaorune stepped out of the spare room, stretching his arms as he yawned. Sacred Beasts didn't sleep much, but it was nice to take cat naps. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He watched Hilda tie her long hair up in a ponytail. She never slept much, either. When their eyes met, Shaorune instinctively ducked back into the room but was drawn back by her hand. "Hey, kid. Care to join me for a bike ride?" she asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Petnadjanka was different in the dark. Usually a bustling city, the small slivers of light highlighted a quieter side, haunted by the remnants of war. Occasionally they would pass an abandoned building littered with graffiti or a rusted military vehicle standing in an empty lot. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The countryside held a similar nature. Its wild nature grew beauty over forgotten landmines and railroad tracks. Animals and other wildlife were quick to adapt to their mutated surroundings, but even they were careful in picking their habitats. The slightest disruption in the balance could be disastrous for everyone nearby. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune hated war. It brought out the worst in humanity, yet it also brought out a unique beauty. Hilda was self-conscious about showing off her horn nubs, but here the nubs poked out and her ponytail rode with the wind; without makeup she was still fierce and beautiful. Shaorune was reminded of how she and the others grew up during war and had to fight for the peace they had today. They had more opportunities now, but at what cost?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They stopped by a body of water. Hilda leaned the bike against a tree and lit up a cigarette, coughing slightly once she took a drag from it. Shaorune scrunched up his nose and grimaced, pointing to it. “Smoking’s bad for you, you know,” he said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, it’s a bad habit.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You ever come here with Tytree?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Not yet. We don’t do a lot together. I haven’t had a lot of time to bike like this recently, either. When you’re an adult you have a lot of responsibilities, and biking’s one of those things that lets me be alone with my thoughts.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re alone with your thoughts a lot, aren’t you, Hilda?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda raised an eyebrow. “Is that such a bad thing, boy?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No. I was just thinking of how lonely it can get, being alone with your thoughts a lot. Sometimes it’s just nice to share a quiet moment with a friend.” Shaorune looked up, tilting his head. “How did you and Tytree become a couple anyway? It’s not like you two do anyth- owww!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His cheeks were tugged. Hilda furrowed her eyebrows at him, then sighed. “It just sort of happened. You spend a year so close with a guy because you’re struggling to figure out what to do with your life, and then the next thing you know you’re moving in with him because neither of you had still figured that out. The company’s nice. We could've just been roommates, but I guess we were just both lonely and wanted...something more."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And what if Tytree ever wants something more than what you got now?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a long pause. Hilda grabbed her elbow, looking away. Her actual reaction didn't reflect her verbal response as she said, "We're both grown adults. If Tytree wants to see other women, that's on him."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And if you wanna see other men?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't. Any other man would be too troublesome."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was truth in that statement. Shaorune sensed that Hilda didn't want to interact with other men or women in such an intimate manner. However, he couldn't imagine Hilda letting Tytree see other partners so easily, even if she was adamant to think otherwise. He was about to change the subject when Hilda added in a quieter voice, "It wouldn't hurt to take the big lug here every once in a while. He enjoys the outdoors too."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time they were on the way back, the sun was almost out and Petnadjanka was waking up to be its usual self. People along the countryside and in town began setting up shop, tending to their farms, getting ready to go to work at factories and other blue-collar jobs. Hilda looked tired, vulnerable. Two-thirds along the way, Shaorune succumbed to his urge and squeezed against Hilda's stomach, hugging her. The woman flinched at first, then squeezed his hand, grunting. "Don't worry so much about us," she said. "You're posing as a kid, so you should act more like one. Have some fun out of your time here."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were wise words, and they made both of them feel better. When they stepped inside the apartment, a mixture of sweetness and fish hit their noses. Tytree came out of the kitchen wearing a ponytail and a pink apron, holding a pan of pancake batter and fish. "Hey. Morning, guys," he greeted, grinning. “Breakfast is about ready. I rinsed some berries too if you want any. Help yourselves.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune went right for the bait, sitting at the kitchen table and placing a few raspberries over his tongue. Hilda walked over to Tytree and rubbed his back. "Thanks. I'll do the dishes when we're done."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Awesome. How much ground did you two cover today?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A few kilometers. Took some time to reflect a little and pray."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If work's any slower, I might have to join you sometime. Starting to feel flabby in more places than usual."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree made a show of grabbing at his stomach, but his smile did not reflect the concern in his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It felt like the rift between him and Hilda was growing worse lately. She was more distant than usual, spending all of her time either studying or searching for any jobs that would take her. The pickings were slim, though, and so she was restless - cleaning, cooking, thumbing through pages upon pages of documents and law-related literature. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The only time she stopped to take a break and take care of herself was when she was taking care of Shaorune. She made sure that the boy had a set sleeping schedule, ate three meals a day (with fruits and vegetables, of course), and bathed at least once a day even though he usually got water everywhere. When Shaorune was ready for the day, she usually took the minimum time to wash and feed herself as well. In a lot of ways, Hilda reminded Tytree of his own mother. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a bittersweet thought. He loved his family and his mother more than anything, but he never enjoyed watching his mother work herself to the brink of exhaustion growing up; it was why he and Selena and their other siblings helped her out as soon as they could walk. Likewise, he tried helping Hilda out as much as possible as well. The only difference was Tytree couldn’t hug and kiss Hilda better without suffering the intense consequences. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Placing the food on plates, he took a couple of berries for himself and began soaking the pan in the sink. Truth be told he wasn't terribly hungry at the moment, so he settled for enjoying the smells instead. Mao would definitely make fun of him drooling if he were there. "Sooo, you two got any plans today?" he asked, rolling up his sleeves. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda poured a small amount of chili sauce into a saucer. "Studying more than likely. If I can get enough work done today, I can probably go to the laundromat tomorrow."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Booo, that's boring," Shaorune commented, puffing his cheeks. "Why don't you come to the arcade with me and Tytree later today?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Both of them looked at him. Tytree put out his hands in front of him, eyes widening. "Wait a sec. Tytree didn't agree to this."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You got anything better to do?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Whoa, you gotta stop talking to Mao. I gotta touch up Selena’s fence before I can do anything else, bud. If you wanna help me to get the work done faster, we can go.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune began scarfing the pancakes down, grinning. After a brief pause, Hilda cut her pancakes, deliberately looking away. “If you two take long enough, I might join you at the arcade. Could be fun.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now they both gawked at her. Hilda raised an eyebrow at them, fork mid-air. “What? It won’t hurt me to take a break later. Perhaps it’ll strike some inspiration as well.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree was lost for words. “I mean, of course, but...I dunno. It just doesn’t seem like your scene.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is any scene really my scene?” Hilda asked wrly, smirking. "If you don't want me around intruding on your man time, just say so."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Both men made exaggerated gestures to express otherwise. Shaorune pressed his hands against a plateful of syrup, staring at Hilda with wide eyes. "Don't listen to a meanie head like Tytree. You gotta join us now, Hilda. We'll show you lots of fun!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Meanie head?..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda suppressed a giggle with the back of her hand. "I'll see if I have time. You boys work hard in the meantime, okay?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Later Tytree and Shaorune took the bus to Selena's house. Shaorune spent his time pressed against the window, watching the bustling scenery while Tytree looked at his phone. Usually he would check his daily gacha, but this time he double-checked his bank account. Of course there was enough to cover the arcade, but he still didn't like the amount in there. He hoped work would pick up for him or Hilda soon. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Selena's house was on the outskirts of town, close to the factory district where she and Tytree worked. When they got off the bus, Shaorune ran around in circles, eager to stretch his legs. Tytree watched him for a few moments, uncertain. He had told his sister about Shaorune, but this was the first time bringing him over to her house. Their parents often came over, and he didn't need them making more preconceptions than necessary. The last time they had a lot of questions regarding him and Hilda…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tytree?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Uh-oh, the kid was staring at him. Running a hand through his hair, Tytree grinned and put a hand on Shaorune's shoulder. "Hey, buddy. Thanks for helping me out today again. I don't think it'll take too long to fix up my sister's fence. Selena might ask us to do some other yardwork, but I don't imagine that'll take too long, either. We'll be at the arcade before we know it!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yaaaay. Are you okay, though? You seem kinda nervous."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeaaah, well...my big sis knows you're not really my son, but our folks might be hanging around and they don't know that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How stupid are they not to know? It's pretty obvious."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey!" Tytree placed his hands behind his back, puffing his cheeks. "Look, Shaorune, my folks are great people, just like my big sis, but they're not perfect. They raised five kids, but like y'know a lot of that happened after the war and they were changed people. They don't really like…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They don't really like Hilda, right?" Shaorune finished.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree nodded. "They keep asking when we're gonna tie the knot and have kids, but we're not ready for that. Even I know that much. But they blame it all on Hilda. I just wish I could make them see differently."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Change is often an uphill battle. You can't expect to change people as easily as you saved the world." Shaorune looked up at Tytree, his true age reflecting in his gaze. "You'd like to tie the knot someday with Hilda, though, wouldn't you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, y- Hey! Real men can't tell secrets like that, come on. Think more about kid stuff, would you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He immediately regretted his words as Shaorune ran ahead and did what only he as a ten year old could do, which was gnaw on a nearby fire hydrant. Before he could stop him, water blasted forth into the sky, drenching the boy's entire head. Any previous thoughts of worry were replaced with pure astonishment, and he placed his hand back on Shaorune's shoulder, sweatdropping. "Let's never talk about this with Hilda, okie-dokie?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Okie-dokie."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Luckily for everyone involved, Tytree's parents were not around when they arrived. Funny, even though their mother helped put bread on the table when they were kids, Tytree saw Selena as more of his motherly figure. Like Claire, she was strong and always knew what to say on even the darkest day. She was also much more supportive of his relationship with Hilda, constantly joking around over how close the two of them were. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They walked in on her gardening. Her hands, arms, and face were smudged with dirt, but her smudged face and tousled hair still accented her beauty. Tytree covered up his thoughts about Hilda always maintaining her beauty as well by loudly coughing, gaining a laugh from his sister. "Hardly working, huh, Tytree? How you doin'?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, Sis. My brain's been thinking about a lot lately."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two siblings hugged. Then Selena noticed Shaorune, who waved at her, and she smiled warmly. "Is that Shaorune?" she asked. "He's absolutely adorable! I'm Selena, Tytree's sister. Thanks for treating my brother kindly."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She and Shaorune also shared a hug, and soon the three of them set off to work. Always being a versatile handywoman, Selena could easily work on her fence on her own, but Tytree enjoyed helping her. They had been close ever since childhood, constantly helping each other out whenever they could. Shaorune weaved back and forth between them, handing them nails and wooden planks.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Always observant, Selena wanted to know all about Shaorune's time with Tytree and Hilda thus far. Tytree was only half-listening, humming an older pop tune until he heard the next question. "So, do you like staying with them?" Selena asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mm-hmm," Shaorune replied, nodding. "Of course, I think you and Claire and Annie are great mom material, but I like Hilda as a mom the best. She smells nice and she makes my bed up no matter how many times I scramble up the covers."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That what a good mom mean to you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No. Hilda acts like she doesn't want to be close to anyone, but she cares more about people than most. She and Tytree let me in their home and their hearts, so I think she'll be a great mom someday!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Both siblings blinked, lost for words. Then Selena began to laugh, and she slapped Shaorune on the back. If Tytree had a little less restraint, he would've cried on the spot, snot spewing everywhere. The truth was more touching than any heartfelt fabrication calling them perfect parents..</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He must've started crying at one point, because before he knew it someone was wiping his face with a handkerchief. "Come on, Tytree, slacking off's been making you soft." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree sniffled. "Hilda."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I thought I'd offer the extra help." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There wasn't much left to do, but four pairs of hands instead of three made the work go by even quicker. The fence was soon fixed with a fresh coat of paint, looking as if it was just built yesterday. Selena clapped her brother's shoulder, admiring their work. "I can always count on you guys," she said. "Thanks. Did you all want to stay for dinner? Our parents are coming over tonight with some of Ma's dumplings." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree and Hilda looked at each other, uneasy. Before either of them could respond, Shaorune took both of their hands into his and grinned. "Sorry, Auntie, these two already promised me a time out at the arcade. Another time, okay?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Take care of them for me. We're counting on you, Shaorune."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The local arcade didn't offer much. It was one of the many post-war efforts to improve quality of life, but like most other aspects of life in Calegia, it still had some way to go. The important thing was that it was fun for the kids and kept them out of trouble. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree and his siblings often came here when they were kids, and a wave of nostalgia hit him when he saw not much had changed. The building was still dimly lit and smelled like poor sewage and beer, just like old times. Kids surrounded consoles with joysticks or barely operational arcade machines. Shaorune was lured to one with a neon green dinosaur poking from the top. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After the three of them got settled in, Tytree thought Hilda would get into a game of pool with one of the workers, but he was absolutely surprised when she put some gald into a pinball machine. He leaned against the wall, watching her. "Hey, uh, I didn't know you played games," he commented.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda remained focused on the game, smirking. "We had a little free time back in the military. This machine makes the one I used to play look like a fossil, though."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The points grew progressively bigger and bigger. Tytree was mesmerized. "Wow, Hilda, you're pretty good! Why didn't you ever tell me about this?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Do I ever talk about my time in the military?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, but…don't you ever wanna talk about yourself? You always have so many talents up your sleeve."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a touchy subject. Hilda grimaced, gripping the buttons tighter. "My life has been in a constant state of doubt and anxiety, and the only reason why I'm not an alcoholic is because after helping with saving the world and junk, I wanted to punish self-absorbed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>egotistical morons.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" The pinball machine rattled as she added more force. "When I was in the military, I was in a...</span>
  <em>
    <span>friends </span>
  </em>
  <span>with benefits relationship with my former co-worker who hated my guts, and we'd often get plastered at dive bars and play pool or darts or pinball when we had an inkling of free time because there was no other way to cope. I also have a tattoo above my rear. Do you remember seeing it?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A deep pink streaked across Tytree's face. All he could do was try and focus on the crowd that was growing around them as the points neared the top ten scores. Shaorune poked around behind him, looking up at him as if to say, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Your move. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Tytree didn't know what to do or say. His usual cheerful demeanor cracked as he looked down at his feet, frowning. "One time I got a concussion in school when I was playing volleyball," he said in a low voice. "And my dad often broke doorknobs and punched walls after the war. We didn't understand why until a lot later. And one time I swallowed glass on a dare 'cause these older kids told me it was candy and I spent two weeks in the hospital!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda turned her head slightly, silent. Tytree balled his hands into fists and shut his eyes. It wasn't easy for either of them. "I'm not smart. And my life hasn't been filled with as much hardship as yours. But we live together, Hilda, and sometimes it's like we don't know each other!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The machine winded down as the last ball dropped to the bottom. Amidst the round of disappointed groans, Hilda slipped more gald into the machine and turned back, her focus redirected back. Shaorune squeezed Tytree's hand. "Tytree…" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, buddy, you mind if I step out for a bit and do a few laps around the block? I got an itch to run. We'll play some games when I get back."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He ran out of the arcade before Shaorune could say anything. Even if he was able to, there was no right way to approach the situation. Lifetimes of observing showed Shaorune that human problems often got worse before they got better.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Running a hand through his hair, Shaorune looked out the window. And he thought living as a human child would be easy…</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>06</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was the middle of the night. In the spare room, Shaorune was nestled under a bunch of blankets, the only thing sticking out being his nose. The ages-old Sacred Beast knew better than to worry about human affairs, but the ten year old boy that he was posing as made him feel uneasy. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had been three weeks now since Shaorune came to visit as a human, and the fighting had only gotten worse and worse since the arcade incident. It had nothing to do with Shaorune, of course; it was just poor timing. From what Shaorune understood, Hilda's bad ex-boss made it so that it was hard for Hilda to find a job, and she was becoming progressively more frustrated because of it. And Tytree also had a slow job, so the two were constantly fighting over money and budgeting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They fought over more than just money, though. Hilda and Tytree were both cranky, and the slightest thing set one of them off. At the moment they were fighting over who had left the kitchen sink dripping. There was no reason to fight over this other than to vent their frustrations. It made Shaorune incredibly sad to see them fight each other instead of building each other up. Maybe humanity was overrated after all. In his experience with humanity, it seemed like people fought over the most trivial things and often forgot the key things that made themselves. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, Shaorune rolled over onto his stomach. Tonight the fighting had lasted well into the night, up until a short while ago. The silence was both a relief and a curse at the same time. If it was suffocating for him as a Sacred Beast, he couldn't imagine what it would've felt like as an actual child. Worse, how badly were Tytree and Hilda actually hurting from fighting so much?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pondering over this throughout the rest of the night, Shaorune tossed and turned until he was sprawled across the middle of the bed, only his bare feet poking from the covers. Sometime during the morning, a cover was drawn ever so slightly from his face and Hilda gently stroked his face with a finger. "It's not like you to sleep in, boy. You doing okay?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There were so many human plagues nowadays, Shaorune settled on one that sounded appropriate enough. "All of my internal organs are bleeding. I think I need a kiss to make them feel better."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, if your internal organs were </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> bleeding, we'd have to fly you up to the big hospital in Balka. But I can make you some stew and add some extra meat to it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And the kiss?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm...I can agree to that." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She kissed him on the top of his head and ruffled his hair before leaving. Shaorune sunk back under the covers, letting his nose poke out now. Hilda's stew always sounded good, but he didn't think that would remedy his worry.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He dozed off again until.he smelled meat in the room. The weight of the bed shifted as Hilda sat by his side and set a tray next to her. "Okay, kiddo, what's up?" she asked. "You haven't missed a beat since you've got here. Out with it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune really didn't want to come out with it, but the smell was too enticing. Sitting up, he scooted next to the tray and blew on the stew. It was still steaming hot. "Are you and Tytree gonna get a divorce?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn't expect Hilda to laugh at that, sudden and abrupt. She placed a hand under her chin, her eyes reflecting unease. "You realize we're not married yet."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yet. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It was a word that both of them caught immediately, and suddenly Shaorune stood up straight. "You guys are always fighting and you keep pushing each other away. How are you supposed to get married if-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hold it right there, boy. We are</span>
  <em>
    <span> not </span>
  </em>
  <span>getting married." There was an edge to Hilda's voice as she spoke. "I don't know what you think of me, but I am not the nurturing family type. And Tytree is much too irresponsible and childish. You think if he ever lived by himself he'd be able to fend for himself? It would never work out!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She placed a hand over her mouth, and before Shaorune could reach out, she ran out of the room, swinging the door behind her. Shaorune leaned back, staring blankly at the stew in front of him. He couldn't eat now. For the first time in ages, his stomach rolled over, nauseous. For the first time while being here, he wanted to escape to anywhere else. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When the fighting started again, his emotions welled up again. Water flooded from his bed and onto the floor, spilling a stream through the door cracks. He didn't closely listen to what they were arguing over this time, but their raw anger made him want to leave. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>One moment a stabbing pain jolted all of his senses. The next moment, the sea greeted him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Balka’s air always tasted worse to Shaorune every time he visited. Humans made good inventions, but they also polluted and wasted so much and suffocated the air with awful-smelling gunk. Animals vastly preferred inhabiting the countryside, and so did Shaorune.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At least the sea remained comforting, even though it too was tainted by human vices. Shaorune felt a breeze run through his hair and noticed that, like most days, he wasn't dressed for the occasion. An oversized duck t-shirt with bright green alligator shorts and bare feet. Shaorune had to admit, he liked his fur better. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He shivered. It was chilly without the scarf Hilda gave him. He decided to wander the streets for a bit and warm up since, from an outsider's point of view, he was absolutely lost. In actuality, once Shaorune recharged a little he could teleport himself back to his surrogate parents, but he wasn't pressed for time. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Balka was not as friendly as Petnadjanka. The buildings were tall and gray and the people were tired and cranky. Many people gave him dirty looks or snickered at him as he passed. Usually he was easygoing regarding judgment, but all of the negative energy put him on edge.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was one person in the crowd Shaorune was glad to see. Today she had on glasses and a thick plum shawl draped around her shoulders, but she smelled as pleasant as ever. Grinning, he ran to the woman and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Militsa, hi!" he greeted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, Sausage Boy. You're a little far from home. How have you been?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Since their initial encounter Shaorune and Militsa met several times at the market, often ending with the boy scampering off with some type of meat. Shaorune rocked on the balls of his feet and put a finger under his nose. "I ran away, I guess. Folks are bringing me down. I needed some time away from them."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Militsa rubbed his head, smirking. "You ran away in </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, I'd like to think I'm pretty fashionable. A little cold." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"My apartment's not far from here. Why don't we warm up a bit? Here, and I'll put this around you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She wrapped the shawl around Shaorune and led the way. Shaorune felt comfort from her guidance; it was like Militsa was another mom. With her other hand she carried a canvas bag filled with flowers, and they weren't meat but they still smelled pleasant. The only thing that unsettled him was the bruises around her neck, discreetly hidden by her ponytail. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Militsa's apartment was cozy, much more maintained than the apartment where Hilda and Tytree lived. The inside was minimalistic design, with the main decor popping out being various flowers arranged in simplistic vases throughout the area. They appeared to be well-tended. There was also a bookcase in a corner of the room, filled with a bunch of thick books (and a couple of girly-looking manga).</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune also noticed there was no TV. He pointed to an area that normally would hold the magic box. "You don't watch TV, Militsa?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Militsa looked up as she hung up her purse on a rack. "Hmmm? No, I don't. I find television incredibly distracting. Idle fools depend on it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehe, my dad falls asleep to the TV often."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, does he? I'm sorry." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nuh-uh, don't worry about it. Tytree is kind of a dumdum sometimes. You got any snacks?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tytree?" Militsa echoed quietly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah. Although he's not my real dad. Long story. And Hilda's my fake mom." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I see."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was quiet for some time while Militsa set up a plate of cheese pastries and slices of salami for Shaorune. The boy nibbled on the appetizers thoughtfully, watching while Militsa arranged her new batch of flowers. It appeared that that was the only thing keeping her calm. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When she dropped a few purple flowers, Shaorune picked them up for her. "Looks like we both have a bunch of mind gunk, huh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What are you really, Shaorune?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm me. Like I said, it's a long story."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, Militsa knelt to Shaorune's level and gathered the flowers in her arms. At first she looked to stand up, but she stood in that position, staring down. "I've...done a lot of terrible things," she said finally. "Inflicted a lot of pain on Calegian civilians. I fought for a cause that I believed would benefit everyone and in the end benefited no one. And now that I've put down my weapons, I face the pain that I have been inflicted."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But if you've atoned why do you still get hurt?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Because the world is not a kind place. There are kind people in this world, but I've resigned myself to interacting with people who are not. Your mother used to be unkind, but she's changed."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You know my mom?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Militsa cursed under her breath; Shaorune believed she had let that slip. "We have a long history together. We chose similar paths but in the end we weren't compatible for one another. I don't know your dad well, but he loosens her up in a way that I couldn't in almost twenty years. They'll work out in the end."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You guys aren't friends anymore?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not cut out for friends."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But I'm your friend, aren't I?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A small smile crept on Militsa's face. "Yeah. I guess you are."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda sat on the floor beside the remains of a broken vase. She meant to sweep the remains, but all she could do was cradle a few lilies in her hands.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had all happened so fast. She and Tytree were arguing as usual, their voices getting louder and louder until finally they broke and Tytree blurted out, "Sometimes I wish we'd never met!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From there without thinking, she struck the vase with lightning and stormed off into the other room without another word. Hilda didn't know how long she remained there, but when she stepped back out Tytree was gone; Shaorune had also disappeared, leaving her to clean up her mess.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was she regressing back into her old ways, back before she met Tytree and the others? It was a scary thought. All that hard work she put in, yet she knew it still wasn't enough. She was still trying to escape her problems rather than tackle them head-on. No wonder she and Tytree kept fighting…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She remained in that position until she heard her phone buzzing. Normally she would've ignored it, but seeing Shaorune and her former co-worker together in flower crowns made her drop everything and rush out the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was no time to dawdle in self-pity. The only way she could fix things was to do better. Hopefully the commute would help her clear her mind and figure out a proper apology for the boys.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When she got to the car, she noticed that it was pouring. Tytree slid into the passenger side, his hair drenched, holding up his phone. "I thought... he was with you," he panted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So Militsa sent the picture to both of them. "I thought he was with </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Hilda retorted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a brief spark of tenseness between the couple. Then Hilda started the car and they were off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The silence was terrible. Hilda would've killed for Tytree to blabber on about work or video games or anything, but today he kept his eyes glued to the phone, not ready to talk yet. As expected. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Instead the only sound was the rain dropping against the car. Hilda's thoughts drifted to that of Militsa. She used to think that she and Militsa couldn't get along because she began dating Tytree; now she realized it was her insecurities that got in the way. They were both trying to overcome their pasts, yet Hilda was still mentally stuck in the rut.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, changing her thinking wouldn't happen overnight, but maybe Milhaust had a point weeks back. Maybe it would be better if she delayed her studies for a bit longer, maybe make the house a little cozier for a family. Who knew how much longer Shaorune would stay with them?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From the commute they took a bus towards their destination. Militsa and Shaorune had went to a noodle place for lunch, so Hilda and Tytree were meeting them there. Hilda couldn't help but drum her fingers against the railing, impatient. Tytree was in a similar position as he tapped his foot. When their eyes met, he couldn't help but flash a sheepish grin. "He really is an energetic boy, Shaorune, huh?" he murmured.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda nodded. "Yeah. I didn't think I'd get used to him."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, me either. I'm gonna have to tear him a new one when we get home. I mean, I know we were fighting, but he could've at least left a note or something, sheesh."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Agreed. I think you're a good enough dad, so that counts for something."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a brief pause. Then, "Hilda? I think you're a pretty good mom, too. I'm sorry for earlier."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I'm also sorry. Thanks for sticking around."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Heat rose up in Hilda's cheeks, but she still refused to blush in front of Tytree, so she looked away. But the mood seemed to soften, and soon she heard him hum a catchy pop tune to himself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they reached their stop, Hilda walked ahead of him. "Hey, give me a headstart, will you?" she asked. "I oughta be the one to smooth out things first."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, sure."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The downpour had only grown worse, and soon Hilda was absolutely drenched as she ran down the sidewalk. She wasn't sure where to start when she met them, but preferably she had to do it by herself, apologize to both of them, give herself another chance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But it was the worst possible timing. Outside the restaurant Militsa and Shaorune had been stopped by the weasel Saleh himself, looking smug and skeevy as usual in his burgundy overcoat. As usual, he was talking on his high horse. "My, my, Militsa, you courting younger brats now, huh?" he sneered. "I guess when you're growing old and drying up, your pickings become slim."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He's a friend's kid," Militsa spat. "Knock it off, would you, Saleh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahh, so you're telling me that he's </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> taking up your time later? I can think of a few things to fill up your time."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Militsa flinched at his touch. Shaorune stepped in between them and puffed out his cheeks. "Leave her alone, stinky!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Stinky? Ohoho, street rats have no manners."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda ran forward as soon as Saleh pushed him to the ground. Sparks of lightning jumped across her fingers, signaling their attention. Saleh tilted his head back and smirked, outstretching his arms. "Looks like the harem's coming back together. Hilda, dear, how's unemployment been treating you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The same way being single's treating you," Hilda retorted. "At any rate I'm not here for you. Militsa. Nice flower crown?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks. Your brat made it for me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hilda! You came for me!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune didn't miss a beat as he ran to Hilda and wrapped his arms around her waist. The sentiment was heartwarming, but first she had to rid themselves of her former employer. "What is this, a hostage situation? It's okay. I'm sorry for earlier. Tytree's right behind me." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She ruffled his hair and placed her hands on his shoulders, pulling him close as she glared at Saleh. He wasn't an intimidating man by any means, but the way he carried himself and so cutthroat used his words and power was a dangerous combo. He was so casual, looking at them as if they were less than nothing. "You've become such a high and mighty whore, Hilda. Too intense for me. Militsa, don't you think so too? I think we better cut our losses."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The remaining pieces suddenly clicked in Hilda's head. Yes, a lot of their relationship was her fault, but of course Saleh was the kind of person who fed on that. Not today. When he wrapped his arm around Militsa's waist, she reached out for her wrist, deadlocked in a glare with the man. "I think she comes with us," she growled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Saleh sneered. "Don't think you can speak for everyone, whore. Why don't you go back to playing drunken housewife to your bumbling village idiot? It suits you far better." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He swatted her hand away and took one step closer to her. Instinctively Hilda stepped back, pulling Shaorune with her. She had to stand her ground, but she couldn't put Shaorune in danger, either. Saleh knew this, so he had the upper hand as he took another step. "You think you can keep running away, dear Hilda, but you'll always come back to me. To this lifestyle. Mutt Halts like you and Militsa are nothing but puppets who </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be controlled with people like me. It's just simple evolution, my dear."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda jumped as he reached out for her rear. Shaorune tried to lunge for him, but she held him in place, not wanting him hurt. She had to think of something to defuse the situation, without involving the police and without putting Militsa's own job in jeopardy. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was one person. Oh, God. Tytree.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Open up for delivery!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before anyone could react, Tytree swung his fist and Saleh crumpled to the ground, clutching his stomach. Shaorune pumped his fists in the air. "Yeah! You go, Tytree!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They should have been shocked, or amazed, but instead both women both wore deadpan expressions. "This idiot did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>try to come and save the day by using such a bad pickup line," Militsa murmured.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He did," Hilda affirmed, sighing, "but he's </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>idiot."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Saleh coughed up blood. Before he could pull out his phone, Hilda shot a spark of lightning at it, effectively frying it. "This never happened," she said, smirking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You bloody pair of monsters!" Saleh howled. "I'll ruin all of your lives in court! You'll be lucky if you lot get hired as dishwashers! I'll bury yo-" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stopped as he could hear a recording of his voice. Militsa held her phone open and tossed it to Tytree. "There's a bunch of other recordings of him that can be included as evidence," she mused. "Not enough to destroy his career, but if anyone can serve even the smallest bit of justice to him, it's you guys, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y-Yeah," Tytree agreed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right!" Shaorune chimed in. "Hilda, Tytree, you two are so cool!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't ever run away like that again!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>earn a surprised reaction from the group as the couple's eyes widened from saying it at the same time. Unlike Hilda, Tytree could not control the blush that spread across his cheeks. "Well, uh, we were just worried about you, buddy," he mumbled. "And we're really sorry for these past few weeks. It's been rocky."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, kid. We'll work on it. Promise."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Promise?" Tytree echoed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Damn, she had to turn away as her face heated up again. Militsa shook her head. "She really does look cuter when she's soft. Crowe, you make sure you keep her. She's a hard catch."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Uhhh...thanks."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, Militsa," Hilda agreed. "For everything. Let's catch up sometime when the weather's not bad, okay?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Fine, if you insist. My schedule should be freed up." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>*** </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tell it again, tell it again! Tytree, Hilda, pleaaaase?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hours later they were home and dried, and Shaorune was curled up under the covers, excited. At the same time, the mental strain of the day was exhausting, and he could barely keep his eyes open. Being a human was making him soft. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree had his hand on his hip for dramatic effect. Sitting on the bed, Hilda had her arms crossed and her eyes shut, but she was smirking. "I guess we gotta give the boy what he wants, huh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure do. It doesn't really get old, though." Leaning against the wall, Tytree nodded and winked. "Once upon a time there was this awesomest kid in the world. He was pretty cool, and he also had a pretty cool fashion taste. He also had a very good mom and dad, but they didn't know it yet, so they fought a lot.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"One day the awesome kid's parents were fighting, and so the awesome kid decided to run away to teach them a lesson. He ran away to the city, where he met up with his friend, and the two decided to get something to eat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, the awesome kid's parents were sad when they found out that their child had run away because of them, so they decided to go to the city and apologize. But when they did, they saw that the awesome kid and his friend were being bullied by the evil, pasty vampire that liked to pick on awesome kids and their friends.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And so the awesome kid's dad went to punch the evil, pasty vampire, and both he and the awesome kid's mom said sorry, and together they went to get the tastiest hot brownies on that side of the city. The end."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda looked over at Shaorune. A small snore escaped from him. "He's out," she said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree let out a small whistle."We're gonna have to go back to that cafe," he commented. "I could eat a whole plateful of those brownies."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That coffee was strong as well."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Too bitter for me, but it </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> warm us up quick, haha," Tytree placed a hand behind his head, grinning. "Anyway, I guess we'd better hit the hay as well. It's been a long day. Good night, Hilda."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He took a couple of steps before Hilda grabbed his wrist. "Wait, Tytree. It's cold tonight. You're not gonna be warm enough with those blankets."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, I guess I'll get some extra blankets from the closet."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You fool. Wait…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree cocked his head in confusion and only grew more perplexed as Hilda wordlessly dragged him to the other bedroom. When she shut the door behind them and let go of his wrist, he had a mild mix of anxiety and bewilderment. "Uhhh, Hilda? You okay?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah? Just don't hog the bed and start kicking or I'm going to kick you off."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...what's that supposed to mean? Hilda, are you sick or something?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not even </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> can be this dense, Tytree. I'll make it very clear for you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before Tytree could say anything else, she gently pushed him against the bed's headboard and pulled him into a kiss. She could practically hear the wheels turning in his head in overdrive, but he made no complaints as he felt her hands around his hips, guiding him to the bed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they were finished they were side by side under the covers, one of Hilda's arms loosely hanging over his back. Tytree looked up at the ceiling, then to the shelves. "The muffmuff. You didn't throw it out," he breathed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why would I?" Hilda replied, amused. "It's cute."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They laid in silence for a few minutes, the only sound being their breathing. They both thought the other fell asleep, until Hilda squeezed Tytree's hand. "Tytree? I don't know if I'll be ready to have a real kid anytime soon," she admitted. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I don't know if I'll </span>
  </em>
  <span>ever </span>
  <em>
    <span>be ready </span>
  </em>
  <span>lingered in her throat, but she refused to voice her doubts. "I think if I'd ever have a real kid, though...it'd be with you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her dark eyes widened, startled at her own words. Tytree rested his chin against her shoulder. "Yeah, I'd want a kid with you too. Uh, Hilda?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think we've done a pretty good job with Shao, though, if it helps ease your mind. We can take as long as you want. I'm not in any hurry to go meat-shopping for our own kid."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tytree? Babies don't eat meat."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, right. I knew that…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A loud snort escaped from Hilda, and soon both of them were laughing until they both fell back into silence. This time they drifted off to sleep, but it was the most peaceful sleep they had in some time, hopefully the first of many to come.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>07 //// epilogue</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a common occurrence now for Shaorune to jump onto the bed and wake everyone else up for the day. Today was his last chance, and.this was no exception. He saw his prey from the door, sleeping peacefully side by side. Hilda had one arm over Tytree's torso despite him being stretched across the bed. Certainly endearing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But the hunt always went on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Gooood morning, folks!' Shaorune greeted as he suplexed the bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His elbow connected with Tytree's stomach, jolting him away. Hilda placed her pillow over her face. "Someone's excited today," she murmured. "Can't you give us five more minutes, Shaorune?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And maybe an antacid?" Tytree added, rolling over on his stomach.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a bittersweet day. Everyone knew that Shaorune would leave sooner or later, but over the weeks they had grown comfortable with him, like he would be with them forever.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But now that his powers were fully restored, it was time for him to return to the realm of the Sacred Beast, and so today was his last day with them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune sat on Tytree's back, grinning. "Come on, guys. What are you gonna do without me?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sleep," Hilda said, snorting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'unno, I kinda want to convert your room into a cool video game room," Tytree said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No faiiiir. You're gonna do all the fun stuff without me!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You can come back and visit anytime, y'know."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, I know, but where's the fun of it if I can't tease you and Hilda too?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The boy hopped off the bed and ran off into the living room before pillows were thrown at him. Hilda slipped on her robe and new pair of muffmuff slippers and tied her hair into a bun. "Kids," she breathed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm glad we won't have 'em for a few years," Tytree replied, whistling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They kissed, and Hilda went off to the bathroom to freshen up and shower. Tytree tied up his own hair and went to the kitchen to fix breakfast. Over the past few weeks they'd both gone back to work, but today was an off day. On Shaorune's final day with them, they would celebrate together with the annual children's festival.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree tied an apron around his waist and began making pancakes and meat, with a fresh pot of tea for Hilda. He was getting the hang of broadening his dishstyles. There was a whole genre based around cooking shows, and they taught him that not every seasoning was going to send him running to the bathroom. Eugene wasn't very tech savvy, but he, Tytree, and Veigue were committed in researching Facebook groups that offered helpful tips in the kitchen. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune hovered behind him, occasionally licking his lips. Having this much power in the kitchen made Tytree want to hang in the kitchen much more often. "Big day, huh?" Tytree said, smiling. "Ahhh, I should've added some veggies with this. We're probably gonna eat bad the rest of the day."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hilda made some salad last night. It's in the fridge."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, take the bowl out, will you? We can at least try to eat healthy."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Awww, with pancakes?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, buddy. Balanced breakfast."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time Hilda was out of the shower, the boys had set the table, with the excess dishes soaking in the sink. Eyeing the dishes she smiled, taking out a bowl of raspberries from the fridge. "Nice spread. You're getting real good at this," she commented. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree grinned, placing a finger under his nose. "I think I'm becoming an eligible bachelor if I do say so myself, eheh."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pfft, keep working on it, big guy."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ruffling Tytree's hair she went to pour herself a cup of tea before fixing some salad alongside some raspberries. Shaorune tore apart his meat with a minimal blend of pancakes and salad, and Tytree added some extra berries to his pancakes. It was weird; they weren't close to a traditional family dynamic, but they were making it their own, and for the most part everyone was okay with it. It relieved a lot of pressure for the couple.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, things weren't perfect, but would they ever be?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda pointed her phone at Shaorune, snapping a photo of him tearing apart a piece of meat with his teeth. "Think fast, boy," she warned, smirking. "Tytree's mother said she wants all the pictures of you on your last day, and you know how many pictures she likes."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune groaned. "Noooo. Tytree, tell your mom to take pictures of your own babies when you have them!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think it'll be best if we never have kids ever, then. She'll never stop blowing up my phone."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Agreed," Hilda replied, nodding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Casually she took a few more photos. In response Shaorune made his face messier and messier, until his face was soaked in syrup. Sighing, Hilda grabbed her handkerchief and began wiping his face. "You're lucky you're getting a bath next, boy," she muttered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The next couple of hours bustled with cleaning and preparation. Two birds were hit with one stone as Tytree and Shaorune took a joint bath, doubling the energy in the bathroom. This gave Hilda time to apply her makeup and fix her hair in an elegant bun, held up together with some yellow ribbon. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While they dried off, she finished off ironing their yukata.  They were all appropriate picks. Tytree's was a light green with a dark green obi, and hers was a lavender with pink flowers and a dark purple obi. In contrast, Shaorune's was appropriate for kids - light blue with a goldfish print and a red-orange obi. To think, at the beginning of this she and Tytree could barely delegate chores, and now they treated them as almost a break in the day.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She took a step back. Tytree wasn't the only one improving in handiwork. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was another period of preparation and a short period of taking photos, and soon they were able to pack up and go to Balka, where'd they would celebrate the day's events. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda never thought she'd spend time at the castle to celebrate; she also didn't think she would have healthy relationships with friends, yet both things were a reality now. She was the only one to suppress her laughter as Milhaust and Eugene greeted them in bright floral shirts. Tytree did not make his pointing subtle. "Haha, what happened to you guys?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eugene looked down, lightly gripping his shirt. "I, uh, ripped my yukata at the shoulders. I need to get it fixed. And it's easier for Milhaust to move around like this."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eugene's so big and stroooong~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mao ran forward and slapped him on the back. Eugene's ears twitched in embarrassment. "I just thought you and Annie looked nice together and I moved...too quickly…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahaha, Annie can fix that up no prob!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This time Hilda hid her smile behind her hand. Milhaust rubbed his friend's back in comfort. "Luckily we had a few larger shirts around. Anyway, it's nice to have you all here. It's always livelier with you around."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda bowed slightly, prompting the boys to do the same. "Thank you for having us," she greeted. "Milhaust, I'll make sure to work overtime next week to make up for this week."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't worry about it, Hilda. I know you'll get it done. Besides, Agarte will get upset if you don't enjoy yourselves to the fullest."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As much as Milhaust cared about business, his feelings for Agarte surpassed everything else. Ever since he took over Saleh's office, Hilda was rehired and work wasn't a total pain. There were still nasty co-workers to deal with, but the work was better divided and now she and Militsa were on better terms. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They walked to the garden, where Agarte greeted then in a childlike hot pink yukata with white flowers and a light blue obi. It was strange. Her public appearances always were so elegant and refined, but here she was just one of them, carefree and relaxed. She almost tripped running up to them; Hilda and Milhaust kept them steady. "Oh, sorry. I keep thinking I'm still wearing heels."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They're quite comfortable," Hilda agreed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mm-hmm. I'm going to miss our ice cream dates, Shaorune. You'll have to visit again."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes when Hilda and Tytree were both at work, Agarte watched over Shaorune, which often led to them getting ice cream. Shaorune rubbed his stomach, grinning. "All of you have fed me so well! I'm gonna have to come back here more often."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The others joined shortly. Veigue and Claire were perfect complements of each other with dark blue and light pink yukata respectively, and Tommy looked as laid-back as ever. Annie's yukata was cute, white with red flowers and a red obi, and Mao's was a bold orange with green leaves and a green obi. Finally, Militsa was in the back, elegant as ever in a yellow yukata with blue and pink flowers and a white obi.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaorune gave her a big hug last, to which she responded with a wrapped sausage. "For the road," she murmured. "You'll probably eat so much you can save it for a snack."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After some lengthy socializing, it was time for the real festivities to start. There was a festival nearby, so the group walked over to celebrate. Along the way Shaorune took Tytree's and Hilda's hands into his own and swung their arms back and forth. A self-proclaimed snapshot master, Mao took it as his duty to take pictures of every waking moment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Food stalls set up shop, lined with colorful banners and lanterns. Laughing children weaved back and forth, playing tag, running with snacks in their mouths. Mao and Shaorune led the group, dragging Annie, Agarte, and Claire into a small dance. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Veigue and Tommy moved to the beat. Both had the same deadpan expressions, but Tytree could tell they were enjoying themselves. Grinning, he wrapped around Veigue's back. "Just like old times," he commented. "We should get a round of beers!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not interested."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Whaa? Not even a small one? Claire would…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not Claire."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So you'll pay?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They began bickering in jest. Hilda leaned against Tytree, shaking her head while Militsa rolled her eyes and murmured something along the lines of, "Men". Milhaust had a similar expression, but Eugene, stern as he tried to look, couldn't help but smirk. 'Now, now, boys, I can afford a round or two. Ladies?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda and Militsa nodded. Soon the rest of them were corralled into dancing as well. Shaorune joined hands with Hilda and Tytree, and the three danced in a circle for a while. Then Shaorune let go, bringing the couple closer together as they joined hands. Tytree cautiously placed a hand against Hilda's waist, then gently and slowly pulled her forward, until their faces were almost touching and he could smell her perfume. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Close to her lips…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was an intimate moment, and for a few moments they forgot everything besides themselves. Then they halted in their tracks, Hilda standing on top of Tytree's feet, as it dawned on them that as some point the others had stopped dancing. Instantly they broke away, both unable to hide their blushing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Annie was the one who finally broke the silence, placing a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry. You two are such a cool couple. I can't wait to be that mature."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As if on cue, Mao pulled her and Shaorune to his sides and made a thumbs-up sign, grinning cheekily. "Don't worry, babe, we got this! The young generation's gonna be the coolest! This includes little Tommy too, of course."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree groaned. "Come on, guys. I'm hip. Don't call me old."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, I keep kicking his ass at the arcade whenever we go, so it's gotta count for something."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No waaay. I totally let you win!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're slowing down, dear." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Agh, I'm so old. Please think of me and give me triple presents for my next birthday."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The group fell into laughter after that. Their next stop was a beer stand, where Eugene was a man of his word and bought a round of beer or sake for anyone able and willing to drink. The younger members of the group hung around at a nearby food stand and indulged in rice cakes and skewers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After beer the rest joined them, and they decided to try as many food stands as possible. As expected, Shaorune hit up all of the skewer stands, savoring all of the meat his mouth could stuff. Next to him Tytree enjoyed a bunch of dango, nearly stuffing his face as much as Shaorune.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His cheeks were pinched after the third or fourth round. Hilda stroked his chin with her fingertip. "Would you like some water with those dango?" she asked teasingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mmmmm…."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Monday morning you better get ready for some serious biking. I won't go easy on you if you start getting out of shape."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All Tytree could do with his mouth full was make a thumbs up sign. Shaorune echoed his sentiment. Across from them Claire giggled as she fed Tommy a small piece of cake. "Annie, you were right. They really are such a cool couple. Veigue, let's join them sometime."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mm." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mao flexed an arm and winked. "Hey, Tytree, let's have a contest while Shaorune's still here," he suggested. "Let's see who can eat the most rice cakes in ten minutes."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree swallowed the remainder of his food. "You're on!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Anyone else up for a challenge? Eugene, you should join."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Veigue agreed and Eugene joined despite his reservations; Agarte raised her hand but Milhaust quickly brought it down, flustered. When they all sat around at a table, Shaorune faced Tytree and Mao, stars in his eyes. "I might've grown soft these few weeks, but I'm still a Sacred Beast!" he declared. "I won't go easy on you!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think that's what we should say to you," Tytree countered, grinning. "We're still in the prime of our lives!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The timer counted down on Claire's stopwatch app and the contest began. Shaorune had the advantage with an inhuman stomach; due to their makeups, Mao and Eugene also had a slight edge in the competition. Tytree used his usual strategy of stuffing as many rice cakes as possible in his mouth, while Veigue methodically nibbled his way through a rice cake every several seconds. Stoic as always, he held the determination to try his best. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as the timer sounded off a final beep, all the contestants were relieved. Shaorune won by a small hair, followed by Mao and Eugene. After a long sigh, Tytree began guzzling a pitcher of beer until he had to stop and breathe again. Veigue rubbed comforting circles behind his back. "It's okay. We'll try again next time."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, buddy."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There were high-fives all around. Shaorune and Mao were the most ecstatic, hitting up another food stall after a brief moment of rest. Shaking his head Eugene took a few sips of beer. "Kids these days," he murmured. "I think I'm slowing down."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Milhaust, you and Eugene used to have contests like this all the time, didn't you?" Agarte asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All eyes were on Milhaust. He looked the most vulnerable that anyone had seen him, with a floral shirt and a light pink spreading across his pale cheeks. This wasn't like doing damage control in the military or at work. Placing his hands over his elbows, he had a distant look on his face. "It was to, uh, build endurance. We were very dedicated."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eugene nodded, looking away. Agarte narrowed her eyes. "I heard rumors that you used to do this after work as well. Was that also endurance training?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, uh, yes…." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone else began laughing again. Tytree was curious now if Hilda and Militsa ever had similar competitions while in the military. If Halfs had other innate powers, perhaps their stomachs were also built for endurance. He glanced at Hilda, eyes wide. "So if we ever had an eating contest, do I got a chance?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hilda smirked, eyebrow raised. "Do you really want to find out?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Weeeell, we can make the time."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As the sun began to set, the group headed back to the castle for the final celebrations of the evening. Along the way Tytree felt his sleeve being tugged, and he glanced down to see Shaorune staring back with wide blue eyes, looking innocent. "Tytree, will you give me a piggyback ride one more time?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure, buddy." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Bending over he let the boy wrap his arms and legs across his body and pulled him forward. He felt his stubby fingers run through his thick hair, then a small sigh. "Tytree?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Would you give me a piggyback ride no matter how old I get?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, you're already old...but of course, buddy. Of course."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm going to miss playing bball with you, Tytree. And I'm going to miss playing arcade games with Hilda."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not with me?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She got better."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was about to say something else, but he could feel something damp press against his hair and swallowed his words. Truth be told, he knew he and Hilda would miss Shaorune. If he thought about it much more, he'd start shedding tears as well, and he couldn't cry in front of the others. Not yet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time they reached the castle, though, Shaorune was back to his cheerful self and they were back in the garden. The moon was out and bright, illuminating the dark sea in the distance. Traces of the sunset still lingered in the sky, patches of pink and purple spread across the sky.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chairs were spread across the lawn, but Agarte spread a checkered blanket in front of them and knelt down. More food and beverages were set up for them nearby, fit for a royal feast, and a brief rest had allowed them to indulge again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After they settled down and refreshed themselves, Shaorune leaned against the railing, teary-eyed. Wrapped around his arms was the scarf Hilda had wrapped around him his first night. "When I first came here as a kid, I was told not to meddle in your affairs," he started in a small voice. "Balance of the universe and all that. I was just gonna have fun with Tytree and Hilda."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He sighed softly. "But once again you've taught me new meanings in life. When you're as old as me, your age just blurs together. But being a kid's fun! Growing up is fun! I feel like I can teach the other Sacred Beasts so much more. So, thank you for having me!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In the distance fireworks began to be set off, various colors popping in the sky. They lit up Shaorune's smile as tears began streaming down his face. No one was sure who made the first move, but soon he was between Tytree and Hilda in a tight hug, all three of them crying. Tytree was the noisiest crier, while Hilda kept looking down, silent yet subtle. The others were close by, all also showing off their sadness and farewells.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're welcome to come back anytime," Tytree said, snot rolling down his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, Tytree. Ewww, you're gonna get your cooties all over me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Make sure you keep adding some greens in your diet. It'll help ease your digestion," Hilda chided, wiping Tytree's face with a handkerchief. "And if you get too dirty in the wild, bathe yourself. Make sure to rest off and on, too, even if you don't sleep."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you, Hilda. I'll keep your words in my heart."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A blue light radiated from Shaorune's body. He squeezed them tightly and shouted to the others, "You watch over them too! You better save plenty of fun for the future!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone else echoed affirmatively. To Tytree and Hilda, he kissed them each on the cheek and said in a smaller voice, "I'm off."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The light grew stronger as he reverted back to his natural form. Then he was gone, leaving only his clothes behind and the scarf in Hilda's hands. Overhead the fireworks continued to illuminate the sky, the biggest flashes of red, white, and yellow exploding as Hilda held on Tytree, holding the scarf to their eyes, as the same words were uttered from their mouths.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Take care, son." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>****</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I am going to search for coins in every pair of pants that you own when we get home."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeesh! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I promise I'll be careful with how I treat my tires from now on!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tytree squeezed Hilda's stomach. The cheeky dork. When she was on her bike before work, she felt the most empowered, and she had the power to make Tytree walk home at any time. After all, he was the one who had insisted on popping wheelies on his bike in the countryside, and now his front tires were popped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But he had a few scrapes on his face and arms from the crash, and he </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>cool, even if he wasn't cool doing it. Smirking, she kissed him on the cheek and squeezed his hands. It was a beautiful day. "Just make sure to change them soon. We need to get enough practice before Claire can't ride her bike anymore."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Her and Veigue sure are the baby makers, huh," Tytree commented, shaking his head. "We're gonna be getting a lot of practice changing diapers."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pfft, if Veigue's as doting with the newborn as he is with Tommy, we're gonna have to start fighting him to do it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Fighting to change stinky diapers?" Tytree pinched his nose.  "Ewww. What have we become, Hilda?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Shaorune was much cuter."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And cooler. I hope whenever we have a baby they'll be just as cool as he is."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A light breeze spread across the land. Tytree and Hilda shared a long laugh as they rode against the sunrise, flowers rustling in their hair. Life obviously hadn't gotten miraculously any easier or better for them, but a new day was upon them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And so they would another day, together.</span>
</p>
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